University Press title ‘Black Appalachia’ wins 2026 Thomas D. Clark Medallion
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 8, 2026) — “Black Appalachia: Race, Place, and Identity,” published by University Press of Kentucky, has been awarded the 2026 Thomas D. Clark Medallion, one of the Commonwealth’s highest literary honors.
Presented annually by the Thomas D. Clark Foundation Inc., the award recognizes exceptional books that enrich the understanding of Kentucky’s history, culture and people.
Edited by Cicero M. Fain III, Sheena Harris Hayes, Wilburn Hayden Jr. and William H. Turner, with a foreword by Ronald D Eller, the volume is the long-awaited successor to “Blacks in Appalachia,” the groundbreaking anthology that, in 1985, first brought national attention to the socioeconomic, cultural and political experiences of Black Appalachians. Bringing together more than 25 emerging and established scholars, writers and artists, the collection offers a richly interdisciplinary exploration of Black life in Appalachia.
Addressing themes of migration, discrimination, artistic expression, memory and community, “Black Appalachia” examines the complexities of Black life in the region while documenting a vibrant cultural renaissance reflected in music, poetry, photography, foodways and the arts. Through innovative scholarship and interdisciplinary inquiry, the volume challenges longstanding narratives, amplifies voices too often overlooked and illuminates the profound impact of Black Appalachians on the history and culture of the region. A landmark contribution to Appalachian studies, it also advances broader conversations about belonging, heritage and representation.
“To have ‘Black Appalachia: Race, Place, and Identity’ placed in the same pantheon as Dr. Thomas D. Clark is deeply meaningful,” said Turner. “The award affirms both the scholarship of the book and, more importantly, the lives, histories and communities at its center.”
“Four decades ago, the University Press of Kentucky published ‘Blacks in Appalachia,’ the first anthology to widen the margins that historically omitted Black people from the regional narrative,” Turner said. “This recognition brings crucial attention to the richness and complexity of Black Appalachian history, culture and identity. It will surely encourage an ongoing conversation about who Black Appalachians are, where we belong and how our stories help define the region.”
“The Thomas D. Clark Medallion Award honors the book, but more importantly, it pays high tribute and respect to the generations of Black Appalachian people whose experiences and contributions made this work possible,” Turner added.
The Clark Medallion, named in honor of the late Thomas D. Clark, Kentucky Historian Laureate and a founder of the University Press of Kentucky, includes a $1,500 prize and is presented annually by the Thomas D. Clark Foundation at a reception following its annual meeting.
“The Medallion Award-winning book is a collaboration of authors to explore and open new understanding of Appalachia and the people who have discovered and expanded this world,” said William Francis, president of the Thomas D. Clark Foundation Board of Directors. “What a treasure.”
“This book shreds another Appalachian stereotype, this one that the mountains are an all-white bastion. Affrilachian poets — Frank X Walker, for one — have been attacking this myth for more than 30 years,” said Mark Neikirk, chair of the Thomas D. Clark Foundation Medallion Award Committee.
“The authors in this book add to our understanding of the role and contributions of Black lives and voices in Appalachia’s social, civic and economic history,” Neikirk added. “What’s more, for all of the scholarship this book contains, it is not only for scholars. It is for all of us. The editors who collected these essays and the writers who produced them are eminently deserving of the Thomas D. Clark Medallion. I’ll note, too, that this book is one that the late Dr. Clark once expressly said was missing from the Kentucky canon. No more.”
Learn more about the Thomas D. Clark Foundation at thomasdclarkfoundation.org.
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