Establishing the Center
In 1978, the same year that the Appalachian Studies Association officially began, ETSU founded the Institute for Appalachian Affairs. The Institute’s mission was to “coordinate a program of research, education, and public service relating to all past, present, and future aspects of life in southern Appalachia.” Linda Scott was the first director of the Institute, serving until 1980, when she was succeeded by James Reese of the ETSU English faculty.
Appalachian Studies at ETSU expanded dramatically in the 1980s. Reese helped to found the Appalachian Writer’s Association, which was active for more than three decades. In 1982 the Institute received a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH) to begin developing an undergraduate minor in Appalachian Studies. Also in 1982, musician and author Jack Tottle began teaching a series of bluegrass music courses in the ETSU Department of Music, the first such program of its kind in higher education. This innovative program closely collaborated with the Center, and Blaustein frequently taught and performed in the program.
In 1983 Blaustein became the director of the Institute, and in 1984 the state of Tennessee established the THEC Centers of Excellence program. The ETSU Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services brought together three existing units: the Institute for Appalachian Affairs (reorganized as the Regional Resources Institute), the Archives of Appalachia, and the Reece Museum. The Center’s mission, as stated in the application, was “to promote a deeper understanding of Appalachia and to serve the region through research, education, preservation, and community engagement.”
Richard Blaustein served as the first director of the Center from 1984-1993. He was succeeded by four additional directors: Jean Haskell (1993-2002), Ted Olson (2002-2003), Roberta Herrin (2004-2016), and Ron Roach (2016-present).