Verna Mae Slone
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Verna Mae Slone (October 9, 1914 – January 5, 2009[1]) was an Appalachian author from Knott County, Kentucky.
Slone had never completed high school education, but at age 65 she decided to start her journey writing books with the intention of breaking stereotypes surrounding Appalachian people and educating them on the Appalachian way of life. Her work began being passed around and eventually grew so much in popularity that thousands of visitors started coming to visit her for a chance to listen to her stories. Some say she averaged thirty or so visitors a day. Finally, in 1979, her first book, What My Heart Wants to Tell was published by the New Republic. She wrote six books in total, including Rennie's Way and How We Talked. This resulted in Slone being seen as a strong advocate for preserving the Appalachian way of life and mountain people.[2]
In Slone’s personal life, she was married to Willie Slone. Together they had five sons who she cared for during the week while her husband worked. In her free time, she was known as a quilter and dollmaker.[3]
In 1993, photographer Barbara Beirne's portrait of Verna Mae Slone was the centerpiece of the Women of Appalachia exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.[4]
References
- ^ Eblen, Tom (2009-01-05). "Kentucky author, quilter and dollmaker Verna Mae Slone dies at 94". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- ^ "Verna Mae Slone". Kentucky Women's History Project. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ "Writing Appalachia: An Anthology". University Press Scholarship Online. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ "Verna Mae Slone". Kentucky Women's History Project. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
External links
- Template:Worldcat id
- Clip from "Dreamers & Doers: Voices of Kentucky Women" (27 March 2015). Verna Mae Slone. Michael Breeding Media. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
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