John B. Stephenson Center for Appalachia and Comparative Highland Studies

Lees-McRae College has always had a deep connection to its location, from its beginnings as a school established for local children to its current position as a leader in place-based experiential learning. In this spirit, the John B. Stephenson Center for Appalachia and Comparative Highland Studies is committed to promoting understanding and appreciation of the Southern Appalachian region through education, outreach, scholarship, and artistic activites. 

For far too long, the cultural contributions of Appalachia have been undervalued and ignored. While they are often dismissed and stereotyped by those outside of the region, Appalachians have created and continue to produce diverse and complex forms of music, dance, folklore, food, literature, and art. The Stephenson Center celebrates these achievements while correcting misconceptions about the region and its people. 

The Stephenson Center engages the college and local community with a variety of events that explore Appalachian history, culture, ecology, craft, art, writing, music, and more. The crowning event each year is Appalachian Heritage Week, a five-day celebration of the people and traditions endemic to the Southern Appalachian region that takes place in April. The event schedule from 2025 is below. 

 Monday, March 31 

Appalachian Artisans
Swank Park
10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Demonstration, display, and creation of local fiber arts, ceramics, and woodwork. Guests will have the opportunity to throw clay, practice weaving, and make their own dreamcatcher. 

 Tuesday, April 1 

DIY Appalachian Barn Quilt Painting
Swank Park
11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Get creative and design your very own barn quilt, a cherished folk art tradition that adds beauty and storytelling to Appalachian homes and farms. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just love to paint, this event is the perfect way to kick off Appalachian Heritage Week with color, creativity, and community! All supplies are provided. 

Appalachian Nature Walk
Meet by the Rock House
3–4 p.m.

Join professors Shinjini Goswami and Alex Glass for a nature walk identifying native Appalachian plants and birds and a discussion of how flora and fauna impact the Appalachian region. 

Appalachian Cinema (hosted by LMCinema)
Shelton Learning Commons Room 120
7–8:30 p.m.

The student club LMCinema will discuss the representation of Appalachia in cinema and films created by Appalachians and screen a short film. 

 Wednesday, April 2 

Beneath the Surface: Hellbenders and Hidden Rivers
Evans Auditorium
6–8 p.m.

Dive into the unique ecology of Appalachian rivers with this film screening and panel discussion. 

 Thursday, April 4 

Folk Music of Southern Appalachia
Tufts Room
1–2 p.m.

A brief history of Southern Appalachian folk music, featuring performances from professors Alex Glass and Nora Augustine. 

Changing the Lives of Appalachian Women
Evans Auditorium
6–8 p.m.

Director of the New Opportunity School for Women Jennie Harpold will share the history of the organization and how it has impacted Appalachian women over the past 20 years. 

 Friday, April 5 

An Appalachian Celebration
Nebel Green
11 a.m.–2 p.m.

End Appalachian Heritage Week with a bang! Enjoy old time music, Dolly Parton Karaoke, and Appalachian snacks. 

John B. Stephenson began his academic teaching career at Lees-McRae College in 1961. In the small town of Banner Elk he honed his teaching skills and found the two great loves of his life, Jane Ellen Baucom, who became his wife, and the mountains, which became his life. In a letter he wrote:

"I love the mountains and their people. I have felt a completeness, a sense of fulfillment here that I haven't known in other places. . . . There is a sense of doing something that needs doing. It needs doing worse here than in the flatlands. And it needs to be done by people who want to change things without changing them, if you know what I mean. Part of a way of life needs to be preserved and not sacrificed on the altar of progress."

John left the college in 1964 to pursue his doctoral degree at UNC Chapel Hill. Then with his PhD in medical sociology in hand, John moved to Kentucky in 1966 to work at the University of Kentucky. He spent the rest of his too-short life in the Bluegrass State, rising from scholar-teacher, to Appalachian Center director, dean, and eventually president of Berea College.

Scholar, teacher, humanist, administrator and caretaker of Southern Appalachia, John B. Stephenson left an enduring legacy of devoted stewardship of the mountains. 

Catherine Pritchard Childress, MA
Director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia