Author talks about Appalachian culture

HUNTINGTON -- In 2001, Silas House said he had never been further away from his Kentucky home than Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia.

That was his destination that spring because he was doing his first ever book-signing, at the annual conference of the Appalachian Studies Association.

House was back at the conference Friday night, this time on the campus of Marshall University. And a lot has changed since 2001.

"I have traveled all over, and I have met people of every race, religion and background, having only known white Pentecostals before," he said, to laughter, giving the keynote address as the three-day conference got into full swing.

"Seven years ago I was a 29-year-old boy who was just tickled to be here. Now I'm a 36-year-old man, who is still tickled to be here, but has a better understanding of the way the world works."

House has now published three books, with a fourth on the way. He has authored plays, and become a professor and writer-in-residence at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. House is also now recognized as a leading activist against mountaintop removal and a spokesman for the people of Appalachia.

He still delivers his words in the measured and unassuming pattern of his roots, and is unapologetic about it. And his calm voice carries some powerful words.

On Friday, House spoke about mountaintop removal not only as a threat to the environment, but to Appalachian culture.

"It so threatens the heart of who we are ... it can't be talked about enough," he said.

House said the people of Appalachia have too long been told to be good patriots, and not speak out about the damage being done to their homes, towns and culture because it was the sacrifice that had to be made to provide the rest of the country with resources.

Appalachians have become apathetic, he said, and the culture has started to suffer.

"Things like mountaintop removal exist because we allow people to negate us. We're still strong, but we've been told for so long that we're not good enough that we've started to believe it," he said. "A true Appalachian fights back, questions and never backs down.

"I believe we need to make our daily lives ... a call to arms to arm ourselves with knowledge," he added. "Number one, to fight apathy, and number two, to make our children proud of where they're from."