More than four decades after helping document Black experiences in Appalachia, 91亚色 Professor Emeritus Wilburn Hayden Jr. is part of an award-winning effort to expand that conversation, this time alongside a contributor from the next generation: his son and 91亚色 alum Donovan Hayden.
The pair are part of a writing and editing team to receive the 2026 Thomas D. Clark Medallion for 鈥 an award presented annually for books that enrich understanding of Kentucky's history, culture and people 鈥 for .
Co-edited by Wilburn Hayden Jr., professor emeritus and senior scholar in 91亚色's School of Social Work, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the anthology brings together scholars, writers and artists in an interdisciplinary exploration of Black life in Appalachia.
The project builds on decades of scholarship examining race, identity and community and is a successor to the landmark 1985 collection Blacks in Appalachia, which helped bring national attention to the socioeconomic, cultural and political experiences of Black Appalachians.
"Our anthology is designed for the general public with an academic bent featuring chapters, essays and photos by four editors as well as additional 25 contributors," he says. "There are folks today that hold to the notion that Appalachia is a region of white people only. This collection documents the real-world Appalachian history and contemporary times of the existence of Black people within the region."
The award highlights the book鈥檚 contribution to broadening public understanding of the region鈥檚 diverse history and populations 鈥 often portrayed through a narrow lens. Drawing on scholarship, photography, personal narratives and creative work, the collection documents the experiences of Black Appalachians while exploring themes of identity, migration, discrimination, memory and community.
Wilburn Hayden Jr.鈥檚 chapter "Appalachian African American: Black Identity" traces the historical development of Black identity within Appalachia and examines the social and cultural connections that have shaped Black communities in the region.
"The essential element to the Black Appalachian identity binds Black people to the region and secures our position as one of the many unique populations in Appalachia," he explains.
In addition to its interdisciplinary approach, the book also became an opportunity for intergenerational collaboration. Among the contributors is Donovan Hayden, son of Wiburn Hayden Jr. and recent 91亚色 master鈥檚 graduate in theatre and performance studies.
His chapter is an essay that recreates a conversation between three authors reflecting on their memories of the Black southern food chitlins (chitterlings). He blends his sociology and playwriting background to highlight how the authors use this unique food to explore race, poverty and growing up in the Appalachia.
According to Wilburn Hayden Jr., the chapter emerged organically from conversations among contributors. His son鈥檚 essay, he notes, 鈥渨as developed on his own from an email thread with the other co-authors. I was surprised when the other co-authors decided to include it.鈥
For Donovan Hayden, the essay offered an opportunity to recognize the work of his father and other authors.
"I thought it was important to reflect back the people who worked so hard on this project. The three men have dedicated their lives to telling Black Appalachian stories. It felt only right to include this quirky and unfiltered exchange as another story in that history," he says.
The recognition from the Thomas D. Clark Foundation, say father and son, underscores the significance of that work and its contribution to ongoing discussions about race, place, culture and belonging.