Join us Thursday, January 21st as our Appalachian Stories Film Series continues with a poignant Appalshop documentary that examines the various “hillbilly” stereotypes associated with people from Appalachia!

Admission is FREE – Tickets are required

About the film

Sometimes funny, sometimes moving, this short 1983 Appalshop-produced documentary from filmmaker Herb E. Smith explores how the image of the “hillbilly” — and the negative stereotypes that come along with it — have unfairly taken root in the American psyche due to their proliferation in literature, film, news coverage, and other media of popular culture…in many cases as an underhanded way to ease the guilt of exploiting the rich resources and people of the Appalachian region of the United States.

About the speaker

Dr. Rachel Terman is Associate Professor of Sociology at Ohio University and an affiliate faculty member of the Appalachian Studies Program and the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. She specializes in the sociology of Appalachia and the rural U.S.

Dr. Terman will introduce this classic Appalshop film from 1983 by talking about its contribution to the conversation about the hillbilly Appalachian identity and the value of Appalachian traditions and culture. Then, she will briefly discuss the film in the context of the subsequent four decades of social and cultural dynamics in Appalachia and remark on the ongoing relevance of Strangers and Kin to our lives in Appalachia today.

Check out the rest of our Hills & Hollers Series Line-Up

This series is sponsored by University Libraries, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Honors Tutorial College, OU School of Film, and The Office of Signature Academic Experiences.