Once in awhile you come across an American town or county that has long been virtually all-white, even though surrounding communities have substantial black populations. It may not always be an accident. In the six decades after the Civil War, in more than a few rural communities, white mobs violently expelled virtually all of their black neighbors. A new book, Buried in the Bitter Waters, describes a dozen of these racial expulsions. Among the places living with this uneasy history is Corbin, Kentucky, a small railroad town in the Appalachian foothills.
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Piece Description
Once in awhile you come across an American town or county that has long been virtually all-white, even though surrounding communities have substantial black populations. It may not always be an accident. In the six decades after the Civil War, in more than a few rural communities, white mobs violently expelled virtually all of their black neighbors. A new book, Buried in the Bitter Waters, describes a dozen of these racial expulsions. Among the places living with this uneasy history is Corbin, Kentucky, a small railroad town in the Appalachian foothills.
Broadcast History
NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, March 10, 2007
Transcript
People in Corbin, Kentucky will tell you their town is a friendly place with good schools. It?s the proud home of the world?s first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant...opened by Colonel Sanders in the 1930?s.
Lora Smith: ?I think the first time I realized that there was something was wrong with where I was from, / I think I was probably around 6 or 7 at the time....?
Lora Smith is 27. She has long blond hair. Her family has been in Corbin for generations. She says when she was a child...she and her mother were on a trip to Lexington when they ran out of gas.
Lora Smith: ?This really nice man stopped and picked us up...and he was African American. And he was just talking to us, talking to my mom, and finally came around, where you all from? And my mom just looked over and said, ?we?re from Williamsburg.? And I was shocked. Because my mom was lying! / I remember sitting in th...
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Timing and Cues
Host intro:
Once in awhile...you come across an American town or county that has long been virtually all-white...even though surrounding communities have black populations. It may not be an accident. Between the Civil War and the 1920?s...in more than a few rural communities...white mobs violently expelled virtually all of their black neighbors. A new book...Buried in the Bitter Waters...describes a dozen of these racial expulsions. Among the places living with this uneasy history is Corbin, Kentucky...a small railroad town in the Appalachian foothills. John Biewen of the Center for Documentary Studies produced our story.
Host back-announce:
Our report produced by John Biewen of the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University...in association with the Center for Investigative Reporting.
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darktown Strutter's Ball | James Reese Europe | James Rees Europe Featuring Noble Sissle. | IAJRC | 1919 | 00:30 |
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A Stop Along the Way (05:49)
Jamie Dell'Apa
Posted on February 27, 2009 at 07:10 PM | Permalink
John's Eye For a Story
John has this knack for finding the obvious, compelling stories that are hidden in plain sight. More to the point, he presents stories of the forgotten people. Prisoners, the exiled, military wives, farm workers - people without a voice. With John's great treatment, these forgotten people's plights are voiced and the injustice is beautifully addressed because John's pieces don't just sing, they sing opera.
This racial cleansing story is great example of John's eye for a story. In our youth, we Americans were all taught about the Civil War and its bloody aftermath but somehow we fooled ourselves into believing that our terrible history was as far away and long ago. John's recasting of this sanitized history updates our understanding. There was racial cleansing, a Southern guerrilla movement that restored much of the pre-Civil War government, and the results remain evident today. Thanks to the clear vision of John Biewen, we can learn from the history of our country.