Black in Appalachia Podcast

The stories, culture, and history of Black Appalachia are getting a national spotlight on CNN, thanks in part to our very own Angela Dennis.Dennis covers social justice, race, and equity for Knox News. But she also co-hosts the East Tennessee PBS Black in Appalachia podcast along with Enkeshi El-Amin. The podcast has received critical acclaim for sharing the Black stories in an area that has often been depicted as “rural, rugged, and white.”W. Kamau Bell, comedian, and host of the CNN documentar...

Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin, a researcher, lecturer, and cultural worker at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and William Isom, director of the Black in Appalachia project at East Tennessee PBS, were searching for the project to collaborate on that would help share their passion and research on the Black Appalachian experience. 


So, in 2019, when PRX—the Public Radio Exchange—began accepting applications for podcast pitches, Isom and podcast producer Chris Smith approached El-Amin about pitchin...

A new podcast is extending a Tennessee public TV station’s effort to challenge Appalachia’s image as white, rural and conservative. 


Launched in 2012, East Tennessee PBS’ “Black in Appalachia” documentary series has highlighted the pivotal and often-overlooked role of Black Appalachians in the region’s culture and history. The biweekly Black in Appalachia podcast, which launched Aug. 8, adds a modern layer to the series’ analysis of the region.


The podcast’s first episode, “Emancipation Da...

Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin and Angela Dennis know that Appalachia has a reputation for being "rural, rugged and white," but they're challenging those stereotypes in their new "Black in Appalachia" podcast.

The hillbilly trope can get in the way, but East Tennessee is a historically significant region for Black movements. Appalachia is the home of the Clinton 12, who braved desegregation; the Highlander Research and Education Center for civil rights; iconic Black artists; and more. Now, those stories a...