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Stephenson Center for Appalachia Announces Summer Lecture Series at Lees-McRae College

If you are looking to gain insight into Appalachian culture or seeking to enrich your summer experience, reserve the first three Wednesdays in June to participate in the John B. Stephenson Lecture Series at Lees-McRae College. The Wednesday lectures on June 1, 8, and 15 are free and open to the public.

Beginning at 7 p.m. on June 1 in Evans Auditorium, the Appalachian and Celtic musical group Thistle Dew will present a concert. The all-female band will play a variety of favorite mountain songs as well as original compositions.

The following week on June 8, beginning at 7 p.m. in Miller Commons, Dr. Michael Joslin will present a lecture titled Your Living Heritage with emphasis on the role of women in creating the vibrant Appalachian culture of Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. A professor of humanities, Joslin is the director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae College.

On June 15 at 7 p.m. in Miller Commons, Dr. Allison Fredette will present a discussion of her historical research into marriage and divorce in Kentucky and Virginia entitled, ’She had never lived happier in her life’: Defying Convention in an Appalachian River City. Dr. Fredette is an adjunct professor of history at Appalachian State University. Her areas of study include the nineteenth-century American South, as well as the history of marriage, gender and the family.

“Lees-McRae College welcomes everyone to share these Wednesday evenings with us. We encourage you to join us to enjoy these varied programs,” says Joslin. “The Stephenson Center invites the community to share knowledge and interest in Appalachia.”

Scholar, teacher, humanist and supporter of Southern Appalachia, John B. Stephenson began his career at Lees-McRae College and rose to be the president of Berea College. He left an enduring legacy of devoted stewardship of the mountains. This series of programs honors his memory and carries forward his devotion to our Southern mountains.

For information on the Stephenson Center for Appalachia, contact Dr. Michael Joslin at joslin@lmc.edu.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, Lees-McRae College is a private, four-year college offering diverse baccalaureate degrees, strong athletic programs and outstanding faculty. With 1,000 students hailing from 31 states and more than 8 countries, Lees-McRae’s broad core curriculum is enhanced by field-specific career preparation and experiential learning. For more information, please visit www.lmc.edu or call 828-898-5241.