In 1932, Myles Horton and Don West founded the Highlander Folk School outside the town of Mounteagle in Grundy County, Tennessee in order "to provide an educational center in the South for the training of rural and industrial leaders, and for the conservation and enrichment of the indigenous cultural values of the mountains." Highlander played a important part in the Southern labor movement and the civil rights movement. After being shut down in 1961 for violating state laws regarding segregation, the center reopened in Knoxville, Tennessee as the Highlander Research and Education Center. The center is currently located in New Market, Tennessee.

History

Labor Years

Civil Rights

In the 1950s, the center turned its energy to the issue of desegregation. Many in the US civil rights movement were involved with Highlander, including Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. Highlander created the Citizenship Schools , a program later adopted by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Backlash

In response to the work of Center, during the late 1950s the press attacked Highlander for creating racial strife. In 1957, the Georgia Commission on Education published a pamphlet entitled "Highlander Folk School: Communist Training School in Mounteagle, Tennessee." In 1961, the State of Tennessee revoked Highlander's charter and confisicated its land and property. The same year the Highlander staff reincorporated as the Highlander Research and Education Center and moved to Knoxville, Tennesee, where they stayed until 1971.

1970s

In 1971, Highlander moved to its present (as of 2004) location of New Market, Tennessee and into working with the citizens of Appalachia. It helped start the Southern Appalachian Leadership Training program (SALT), and coordinated a survey of land ownership in Appalachia.

Directors

Over time, the directors of Highlander have been:

• Myles Horton
• Mike Clark
• Hubert E. Sapp
• John Gaventa, 1993-1996
• Jim Sessions , 1996-1999
• Suzanne Pharr , 1999-2003
• Mónica Hernández , Interim co-director as of 2004
• Tami Newman , Interim co-director as of 2004

References

• Myles Horton and Paulo Friere, We Make the Road by Walking. Temple University: 1990.
• History - 1930-1953: Beginnings & The Labor Years, http://www.hrec.org/a-history.asp
• TnEncyc: Highlander Folk School
• TnEncy: Highlander Research and Education Center

External link

• Highlander Center official web site