Yall Aint Heard Us? Black Identity and Belonging in Appalachian Virginia

Abstract

Appalachia is often portrayed through dominant narratives as a raceless region, yet it has long been home to black communities whose histories, experiences, and existences remain overlooked. This research explores black identity, belonging, and lived experience in Appalachian Virginia, a space frequently excluded from racial examination. Utilizing interviews, demographic data, and autoethnography, this study centers black voices to explore the construction of identity and resistance to systemic inequality. To understand how black life in Appalachian Virginia is shaped by regional, social, and economic shifts, I investigate three guiding questions: 1) What social inequalities do black residents face in Appalachian Virginia? 2) How do black individuals and communities navigate, negate, and narrate racism and exclusion? and 3) How do black residents conceptualize and construct their racial identities? This study documents the reality that black life in Appalachian Virginia is characterized by systematic exclusion, yet the folks in the region have navigated and negated race and racism through avoidance and social ties. Ultimately, this study expands knowledge of how race and space interact in Appalachian Virginia, challenges the perception of a raceless Appalachia, and contributes to the understanding of identity creation in white spaces.