Appalachian Consortium records

Collection

Identifier: UA 76

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains files relating to the Appalachian Consortium, which operated from 1970 to 2004. This includes files related to the initial organization and continuing leadership of the organization, its finances and correspondence, as well as its major projects, grants, publications, and conferences. The collection is arranged into seven series. Within each series, some files are arranged by subseries, where applicable, but all are arranged alphabetically by subject, and chronologically within the subject heading.

Dates

Majority of material found within 1970-2004
1978-1990

Creator

Appalachian Consortium (Organization)
Morefield, John (Person)

Language

The materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

The materials from Appalachian State University Libraries' Special Collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The nature of these collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. As a result, the user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Conditions Governing Use

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Appalachian State University assumes no responsibility.

Historical Note

The Appalachian Consortium, which operated from 1970 to 2004, was a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of Southern Appalachia. As a partnership of academic institutions and agencies, its purpose was to preserve the history and enhance the future of the Appalachian region. Covering seven states and a 156-county area, the Consortium was made up of members encompassing the Southern Appalachian region. Though many institutions and agencies added their contributions over the years of the Consortium’s activity, the following institutions were founding members: Appalachian State University, East Tennessee State University, Lees-McRae College, and Mars Hill College.

The Consortium was governed by a Board of Directors, composed of one representative from each member institution and agency, five members elected at large (one of whom represented the Board of Advisors), a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson who were elected, and an unspecified number of ex-officio members who were non-voting. The Chief Administrative Officers were made up of Chancellors, Presidents, Directors, and Superintendents of the member institutions and agencies, and also served as ex-officio members of the Board of Directors. The Consortium’s executive directors included Borden Mace (1972-1979), Martha M. McKinney (January 1, 1979-July 31, 1980), Earleen Pritchett (Acting Director, 1980-1981), Barry Buxton (1981-1990), and Mike Eppley (1990-2003).

From 1973 to 2004, the Consortium operated the Appalachian Consortium Press, Incorporated, which was controlled by the Publications Committee and the Board of Directors. The Press printed and/or distributed over forty books and recordings of interest to Southern Appalachia and its people. These publications included: John Ager’s We Plow God’s Fields, Paul Green’s Word Book, Loyal Jones’ Minstrel of the Appalachians, and an extensive textbook entitled A Southern Appalachian Reader.

The information in this note was obtained from Appalachian Consortium (Boone, NC: Minor's Printing, undated).

Extent

56.58 Linear Feet (110 boxes, 1 half-sized manuscript box, 1 oversize box)

Additional Description

Abstract

The Appalachian Consortium, in operation from 1970-2004, was a nonprofit, educational organization formed by a partnership of academic institutions dedicated to preserving the history and enhancing the future of the Southern Appalachian region. This collection contains files detailing the initial organization and continuing leadership of the Consortium, its finances and correspondence, as well as its major projects, grants, publications, and conferences.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into nine series. Within each series, some files are arranged by subseries, but all are arranged alphabetically by subject, and chronologically within the subject heading. The seven series consist of Organizational Documents and Meeting Minutes, Financial Files, Correspondence, Administrative Files, Audiovisual Materials, Appalachian Consortium Press Files, Special Projects Files, and John Morefield records. Series XIII is all of the seperated materials.

Acquisitions Information

This collection was transferred to the University Archives and is composed of 14 seperate accessions. The bulk of the collection was received in 2003 from donor Emily Burleson. Accessions include UA.2003.016, UA.2003.046, UA.2003.047, UA.2003.127, UA.2003.182, UA.2003.183, UA.2003.184, UA.2003.185, UA.2003.186, UA.2003.187, UA.2003.188, UA.2003.189, UA.2006.001, UA.2007.150. An addition was received and added to the collection in 2023 (UA.2023.044, John Morefield records).

General

This collection's former identifer was UA 5001.

Processing Information

Ethan Brooks-Livingston completed processing the Appalachian Consortium Records in March 2011. Finding aid updated by Anna Smith, 2023, with John Morefield series.