Walters State Community College will host its 13th Annual Mildred Horn Conference on February 3-4 at its Morristown campus. The conference celebrates Appalachian literature, culture, and scholarship. It is named after Mildred Horn, a native of Hamblen County and author of “Hawks Dawn Gone.” Published in 1940, this work is considered a classic of Appalachian literature.
This year’s theme is “Appalachia Remembers: Mining for Memories.” The event is free and the public can attend one or all of his events. The event will be held at the R. Jack Fishman Library.
Pauletta Hansel is the keynote speaker. Hansel’s “Palindrome” won the 2017 Weatherford Prize for Poetry. Her latest collection, Heartbreak Tree, explores the intersection of gender and place in Appalachia. Hansel was born and raised in southeastern Kentucky, where she was a founding member of the Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative. She was Cincinnati’s first Poet Laureate.
Hansel will speak on Friday at 2:15 pm.
Registration begins at 8am on both days and continues throughout the day.
Friday, February 3rd• 9:00-10:30 AM — Fiction Workshop with Susan Odell Underwood
• 10:45 – 11:30 AM — “Shoe Matching: The Importance of Folk Traditions in Appalachian Culture,” academic presentation by Lauren Fowler.
• 12:30pm – 2:00pm — Non-Fiction/Memoirs Workshop with Wayne Thomas
• 2:15-3:30 pm — Keynote by Pauletta Hansel
• 3:30 PM — Mildred Haun Award presentation and book giveaway
February 4th (Sat):• 9:00-10:30 am — Songwriting workshop with Marci Nimick (instruments welcome).
• 10:45-11:45 AM — “Making History Real: Overcoming Intersecting Oppression with Annette Sounouk Chapsaddle’s Even as We Breath,” Academic Presentation by April Conley Kirinski and Jason Meade
• 10:45-11:45 AM — “Mining Appalachian Information: Where and How to Access Facts, Stories, and History Online and In-Person,” Scholarship Presentation by Julie Lewis
• 12:15-2:15 pm — Poetry Workshop with Melissa Helton
• 2:30-3:15 pm — Sessions will be announced.
In addition to sessions, Appalachian books are available throughout the conference.
