Beth Davison and Jesse Barber | The Art and Evolution of Appalachian Documentary

On this episode of Appalachian Excellence: Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity, Karen Fletcher, director of grants resources and services in the Office of Research and Innovation, interviews Dr. Beth Davison, App State professor of interdisciplinary studies, and Jesse Barber ’22 ’24, a photojournalist and documentary photographer and an alumnus of App State’s interdisciplinary studies and Appalachian studies programs. They discuss their work on the South Arts grant-funded “In These Mountains” project and how they use documentary techniques to tell the story of the Appalachian culture and region.

 

Guests-at-a-Glance

Name: Dr. Beth Davison and Jesse Barber

What they do:  Dr. Beth Davison is a Professor in the Appalachian Department of Interdisciplinary Studies; Jesse Barber is a photojournalist and documentary photographer.

Connect with them: 

Beth Davison: [e-mail]

Jesse Barber: [e-mail]

 

Links

Boone Docs: https://www.apptheatre.org/events-and-tickets/boone-docs-2025

Find some of the films here: https://vimeo.com/user2646545

Beth Davison’s website: https://sites.google.com/appstate.edu/davisondocs/home

Appalachian State University’s Special Collections: https://collections.library.appstate.edu/ Jesse Barber’s website: https://www.jesse-barber.com/ Jesse Barber's photo coverage of Hurricane Helene At least 213 dead as search-and-rescue efforts continue after Helene (Photo by Barber) The Washington Post ‘Completely and entirely erased’: How Helene swallowed one mountain town    (Photos by Barber) The Washington Post Food reaches homes in flood-ravaged North Carolina by foot, horse and ATV  (Photo by Barber) The Washington Post Hurricane Helene barreled into uncharted territory. It won’t be the last.    (Photo by Barber) The Washington Post ‘They are not slowing down’: The rise of billion-dollar disasters    (Photos by Barber) The Washington Post Photographers recall the Hurricane Helene scenes they’ll never forget   (Writing, Photos by Barber) The Washington Post North Carolina Photographer Points His Lens Toward Hope Amidst The Devastation Of His Home State   (Story on Barber, Photos by Barber) Southern Living Not By Ourselves: Showing Up in Western North Carolina   (Writing, Photos by Barber) Southern Cultures Chimney Rock As We Know It is Gone. Long Live Chimney Rock   (Photos and contributed reporting) The Assembly North Carolina grapples with holding election in hurricane disaster zone   (Photos) The Guardian After a hurricane, Democrats try to snatch rare victory in swing state North Carolina   (Photos) The Guardian   Transcript

Karen: Welcome to Appalachian Excellence, a show where we feature Appalachian State University research, scholarship, and creative activity that creates solutions and inspires change. We're here to bring you stories of incredible work happening right here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. I'm your host, Karen Fletcher, where my day job has me working in the Office of Research and Innovation here at App State. And I've got my producer, Dave Blanks in the studio with me.

Dave: Hey Karen.

Karen: Hey.

Dave: How's it going?

Karen: Going good. I'm excited today.

Dave: Me too.

Karen: We've got two guests in our studio today, Dr. Beth Davison and Jesse Barber. Dr. Beth Davison has been a professor at Appalachian State University since 1997.