Berea's online oral history collections cover a broad range of topics in the areas of Appalachian history and culture, and the history of Berea College. In many instances searchable transcripts accompany the digitized audio recordings.
Research guides are the work of Archives staff and the College's Sound Archives Fellows. Using audio and video illustrations, the guides cover a wide range of topics.
The program's focus is on Berea's collections of noncommercial recordings that document Appalachian history and culture and the history of Berea College.
Northeastern Kentucky banjo player, Ruben Cornelius Collins 1891-1980 is one of the many older generation Appalachian musicians documented in Hutchins Library's sound recordings collections. They are included in the collection that documents his son, Ruey.
Western North Carolina banjo player, J. Roy Stalcup (1903-1990) is one of the many older generation Appalachian musicians documented in Hutchins Library's sound recordings collections. Text edited by Harry Rice from Lee Knight’s articles.
In this groundbreaking study Cecelia Conway demonstrates that these European Americans borrowed the banjo from African Americans and adapted it to their own musical culture.