“The more I study, the clearer are the voices of my people, a people who lost their traditions, religions, and social norms through slavery. They have begun to speak to me in a clarity that I cannot verbalize at this time. It tears at my heart as I see the apathetic attitudes of those who do not understand that the present and the future are inextricably tied to our past." ~Ann Miller Woodford
African Americans form an important part of the diverse population of southern Appalachia, yet their histories have often been ignored. Today, heritage organizations and individuals like Ann Miller Woodford are working to gather information on African American contributions to the life of our region. This exhibit uses that material to reveal an invisible history of African Americans in far Western North Carolina.
