Appalachian Activists: The Civil Rights Movement In Asheville, North Carolina

While stories of the Civil Rights movement have been burned into the American consciousness through events that took place in large cities, such as, The March on Washington and the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, certain regions have been left out of the narrative. One region that has remained nearly invisible in the nation’s memory of the Civil Rights Movement is Appalachia. For most Appalachian historians, the belief remains that this struggle for equality never permeated the mountains. However, this thesis works to prove that the Civil Rights Movement most definitely thrived in a portion of Appalachia. This thesis chronicles the untold story of Asheville, North Carolina’s Civil Rights Movement. From 1917 to 1965, members of Asheville’s black community led a peaceful movement to bring about racial equality in their town. Throughout this 48 year endeavor, these civil rights activists successfully furthered the social and political standing of Asheville’s black community by employing a unique negotiation strategy that was influenced by their town’s burgeoning tourism industry.