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["W.I. Bill Hairston, 71, is a storyteller, old-time musician, and pastor (Westminster Presbyterian Church) living in Charleston, West Virginia. He was born in Phenix City, Alabama, and his family moved to Saint Albans, West Virginia in 1960 when he was 11. Through his storytelling, Hairston, as he says in the interview, combines the Appalachian culture that he was exposed to on the Coal River, to the African-American culture that he is a part of. For 35 years, he served as music coordinator at the Stonewall Jackson Jubilee, and is currently the coordinator of the Vandalia Gatherings West Virginia Liars Contest. Hairston is an active member of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild, the Kentucky Storytelling Association, and the Ohio Storytelling Network, the National Association of Black Storytellers, and serves as the West Virginia liaison to the National Storytelling Network. He has performed in concerts, festivals, libraries, corporate meetings, conventions and schools throughout the region and the country. In this interview, Hairston speaks about growing up in one of three Black families in the Lick Skillet area of Saint Albans along the Coal River, his interest in and work with rural West Virginia old-time musicians and 4-H camps, his friendship with Frank and Jane George, experiences with racism in West Virginia, and his work and mission as an Appalachian storyteller."]%

13. Transcript of oral history of W.I. Bill Hairston

Identifier:
4224.HairstonBillIntTranscript9.10.19
Title:
Transcript of oral history of W.I. Bill Hairston
Date:
2019-09-10
Creator:
Hairston, Bill
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Storytelling, African Americans--Appalachian Region, School integration, 4-H clubs, Old-time music, Folk music--West Virginia, Hairston, Bill, Appalachian dulcimer and autoharp music, Racism, Walker, John Homer, Folklore
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["The Helvetia Community Fair, located in the Swiss community of Helvetia in Randolph County, is one of the oldest agricultural fairs in West Virginia. Activities include a parade in Swiss costume, alphorn music, Swiss folk dancing and singing, fahnenschwingen (flag twirling), a crafts, food, and canning exhibition, field events, an archery shoot, and more.Learn more in Emily Hilliard's Bitter Southerner piece on Helvetia's seasonal celebrations, including the Community Fair: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginiaAnd in the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project conducted by the West Virginia Folklife Program in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

14. Helvetia Sunshine 4-H Club sign

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaCommunityFair.075.Photo.9.10.16
Title:
Helvetia Sunshine 4-H Club sign
Date:
2016-09-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Helvetia (W. Va.), Festivals, Agricultural exhibitions, 4-H clubs
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["Ernest Hofer, born in Helvetia in 1950, is from a family with deep roots in Helvetia. His grandfather was the first baby boy born in the community in the 1870s. Aside from serving in Vietnam for two years, Hofer has lived in Helvetia his entire life. Hofer recently retired from working in the mines, and has worked at the Pickens [Helvetias neighboring town] Ramp Supper for forty-two years, and the Helvetia Ramp Supper for twenty-five. He is treasurer of the Helvetia Community Hall Association and is a member of the Pickens Volunteer Fire Department. He retired from working in the mines earlier this year.People aren't going to tell you where the ramp patch isthat's a well-kept secret and I'm not tellin' you where mine's at! And a lot of the property has been closed to ramp-digging due to the lumber companies, leasing the property. Which...has hurt the ramp suppers a lot. So, you just can't dig 'em. This interview is part of a series of interviews conducted with foodways practitioners in Helvetia, West Virginia, as part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

15. Transcript of oral history of Ernest Hofer

Identifier:
4224.HoferErnest.IntTranscript.4.30.16
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Ernest Hofer
Date:
2016-04-30
Creator:
Hofer, Ernest
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Coal mines and mining, Wine and wine making--United States, Wild leek, Veterans, Helvetia (W. Va.), foodways, 4-H clubs, Cooking, Swiss, Food habits
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)

Listen to Audio

16. Oral history of Sharon Rollins

Identifier:
4224.RollinsSharon.AudioInt.4.30.16
Title:
Oral history of Sharon Rollins
Date:
2016-04-30
Creator:
Rollins, Sharon
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Canning and preserving, Helvetia (W. Va.), Wild leek, foodways, 4-H clubs, Food habits, Cooking, Swiss
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["Cecelia Coleman Smith was born in Buckhannon, West Virginia in 1949. Originally from Pickens, West Virginia, her family moved away from the Helvetia/Pickens community when she was seven so her father could take a coal mining job. She moved back to Pickens in 2005. Mrs. Smith served in the military and is a member of the local American Legion chapter. She is also part of the Pickens Improvement and Historical Society, the Farm Womens Club, and occasionally volunteers at the Hutte Restaurant.This interview is part of a series of interviews conducted with foodways practitioners in Helvetia, West Virginia, as part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

17. Transcript of oral history of Cecelia Smith

Identifier:
4224.SmithCecelia.IntTranscript.4.30.16
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Cecelia Smith
Date:
2016-04-30
Creator:
Smith, Cecelia
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Helvetia (W. Va.), 4-H clubs, foodways, Wild leek, Swiss American women, Food habits, Cooking, Swiss, Bakers, Canning and preserving
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["Cecelia Coleman Smith was born in Buckhannon, West Virginia in 1949. Originally from Pickens, West Virginia, her family moved away from the Helvetia/Pickens community when she was seven so her father could take a coal mining job. She moved back to Pickens in 2005. Mrs. Smith served in the military and is a member of the local American Legion chapter. She is also part of the Pickens Improvement and Historical Society, the Farm Womens Club, and occasionally volunteers at the Hutte Restaurant.This interview is part of a series of interviews conducted with foodways practitioners in Helvetia, West Virginia, as part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

18. Portrait of Cecelia Smith

Identifier:
4224.SmithCecelia.Photo.001.4.30.16
Title:
Portrait of Cecelia Smith
Date:
2016-04-30
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
4-H clubs, Helvetia (W. Va.), Cooking, Swiss, Bakers, Swiss American women
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["Documentation of folklore and material culture on display at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair in Lewisburg."]%

19. Prizewinning 4-H chair caning project at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair

Identifier:
4224.WVStateFair.Photo.002.8.17.16
Title:
Prizewinning 4-H chair caning project at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair
Date:
2016-08-17
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Weaving, Agricultural exhibitions, 4-H clubs, Chair caning
Location:
Lewisburg (W. Va.)
["Documentation of folklore and material culture on display at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair in Lewisburg."]%

20. Prizewinning 4-H egg entries in the 2016 West Virginia State Fair

Identifier:
4224.WVStateFair.Photo.003.8.17.16
Title:
Prizewinning 4-H egg entries in the 2016 West Virginia State Fair
Date:
2016-08-17
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Food habits, Eggs, foodways, Poultry farms, Chicken industry, 4-H clubs, Agricultural exhibitions
Location:
Lewisburg (W. Va.)
["Documentation of folklore and material culture on display at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair in Lewisburg."]%

21. 4-H pickle entries in the 2016 West Virginia State Fair

Identifier:
4224.WVStateFair.Photo.004.8.17.16
Title:
4-H pickle entries in the 2016 West Virginia State Fair
Date:
2016-08-17
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Agricultural exhibitions, 4-H clubs, foodways, Food habits, Canning and preserving, Pickling
Location:
Lewisburg (W. Va.)
["Documentation of folklore, foodways, and material culture on display at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair in Lewisburg."]%

22. Handmade sign in the rabbit barn of the 2016 West Virginia State Fair

Identifier:
4224.WVStateFair.Photo.005.8.17.16
Title:
Handmade sign in the rabbit barn of the 2016 West Virginia State Fair
Date:
2016-08-17
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Agricultural exhibitions, Rabbits, 4-H clubs
Location:
Lewisburg (W. Va.)
["Documentation of folklore, foodways, and material culture on display at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair in Lewisburg."]%

23. Owner prepares horse for show at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair

Identifier:
4224.WVStateFair.Photo.006.8.17.16
Title:
Owner prepares horse for show at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair
Date:
2016-08-17
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Agricultural exhibitions, 4-H clubs, Horses--Showing
Location:
Lewisburg (W. Va.)
["Documentation of folklore, foodways, and material culture on display at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair in Lewisburg."]%

24. 4-H goat show at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair, 1 of 3

Identifier:
4224.WVStateFair.Photo.008.8.17.16
Title:
4-H goat show at the 2016 West Virginia State Fair, 1 of 3
Date:
2016-08-17
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Goat farming, 4-H clubs, Agricultural exhibitions
Location:
Lewisburg (W. Va.)