Phillip J. Obermiller Papers and Appalachian Migration Research Collection, 1950-2013 | Berea College Special Collections and Archives Catalog

By Lori Myers-Steele and Samuel Gleaves

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Collection Overview

Title: Phillip J. Obermiller Papers and Appalachian Migration Research Collection, 1950-2013

Primary Creator: Obermiller, Phillip J.

Extent: 27.0 MS boxes

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in seven series: Writings and Correspondence, Urban Appalachian Council, Research Committee, Urban Appalachian Council, Subject Files, Newspaper Series on Appalachian Migration, Articles and Bibliographies and Audio Visual Materials.

The collection was processed in December 2014 by Samuel Gleaves, Archives Processing Assistant. The finding aid was created by Lori Myers-Steele, Collections Archivist, with the help of Samuel Gleaves.

Subjects: Appalachian Festival., Appalachian Region., Appalachians (People) -- Migrations., Appalachian Studies., Appalachian Studies Association., Council of the Southern Mountains., Jones, Loyal -- 1928-, Maloney, Michael E., Mynatt, Ernie, Obermiller, Phillip J., Ohio, Cincinnati., Philliber, William W. -- 1943-, Rural-urban migration -- Southern States -- History., Urban Appalachian Council., Wagner, Thomas E.

Languages: English

Abstract

Born in North Canton, Ohio, Phillip J. Obermiller, is a sociologist, scholar, and advocate for urban Appalachians. While not from Appalachia, Obermiller’s experience growing up in a family of European migrants living in a company town echoed the experience of Appalachians who he came to serve through his work. Obermiller came to the Appalachian Studies wing of the Appalachian movement from the neighborhood level. In the mid-1960s, while attending Catholic seminary in Cincinnati, Obermiller was mentored by Ernie Mynatt, a social worker tending to the city’s Appalachian migrant community. Working with Mynatt and Michael Maloney Obermiller helped to establish the Urban Appalachian Council (UAC) in 1974. The UAC developed into a regional resource and educational center for Appalachian affairs, promoting pride in cultural heritage among urban Appalachians. Obermilller actively participated in the UAC’s Research Committee, producing studies and writings on the social issues facing urban Appalachians.

In addition to his work with the UAC, Obermiller has been involved in the Appalachian Studies Association since its beginnings (serving as president in 2005-2006) and is known for his advocacy of quantitative research and interdisciplinary collaboration in the field. In addition to his numerous publications, Obermiller has provided consulting, training, and evaluation services for many urban education and welfare organizations in Cincinnati and elsewhere. Obermiller holds graduate degrees in philosophy and theology from the Athenaeum of Ohio and in sociology from the Union Institute. He has taught Appalachian Studies at the University of Cincinnati and Edgecliff College and has served as a tenured associate professor at Northern Kentucky University, a research associate at the University of Kentucky and visiting scholar at the University of Cincinnati’s School of Urban Planning. Living in Cincinnati, Obermiller continues his academic and advocacy work.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection contains the records of Dr. Phillip J. Obermiller including: writings, correspondence and publications related to scholarly and community work; administrative documents and publications from Obermiller’s work with the Urban Appalachian Council; and research materials related to urban Appalachia and Appalachian migration collected by Obermiller.

Subject/Index Terms

Appalachian Festival.
Appalachian Region.
Appalachians (People) -- Migrations.
Appalachian Studies.
Appalachian Studies Association.
Council of the Southern Mountains.
Jones, Loyal -- 1928-
Maloney, Michael E.
Mynatt, Ernie
Obermiller, Phillip J.
Ohio, Cincinnati.
Philliber, William W. -- 1943-
Rural-urban migration -- Southern States -- History.
Urban Appalachian Council.
Wagner, Thomas E.

Administrative Information

Repository: Berea College Special Collections and Archives Catalog

Access Restrictions: There are no known restrictions on the collection other than federal copyright regulations. Please cite all references to this collection. Records can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College.

Related Materials:

Related Berea College Collections:

Urban Appalachian Council (UAC) Records 1930 – 1994

Appalachian Studies Association Records

Council of the Southern Mountains Records, 1912-1970

Council of the Southern Mountains Records, 1970-1989

Council of the Southern Mountains Oral History Project Collection

Related Publications:

Selected Bibliography:

Too Few Tomorrows: Urban Appalachians in the 1980s. Phillip J. Obermiller and William Philliber, eds. Appalachian Consortium Press, 1987.

Appalachia in an International Context: Cross-National Comparisons in Developing Regions. Phillip J. Obermiller and William Philliber, eds. Praeger, 1994.

From Mountain to Metropolis: Appalachian Migrants in American Cities. Kathryn Borman and Phillip J. Obermiller, eds. Bergin & Garvey, 1994.

Down Home, Downtown: Urban Appalachians Today. Phillip J. Obermiller, ed. Kendall/Hunt, 1996.

Valuing Our Past, Creating Our Future: The Story of the Urban Appalachian Council. Thomas Wagner and Phillip J. Obermiller, eds. Berea College Press, 1999.

Appalachian Odyssey: Historical Perspectives on Appalachian Migration. Phillip J. Obermiller, Thomas Wagner and E. Bruce Tucker, eds. Praeger, 2000.

African American Miners and Migrants: The Eastern Kentucky Social Club. Thomas Wagner and Phillip J. Obermiller, University of Illinois Press, 2004.

Appalachia: Social Context Past and Present. Phillip J. Obermiller and Michael E. Maloney, eds. Fifth Edition, Kendall/Hunt, 2007.

Appalachian Health and Well Being. Robert Ludke and Phillip J. Obermiller, eds. University Press of Kentucky, 2012.

Interview with Phillip Obermiller, June 30, 2014. Catherine Herdman, Interviewer. 2014OH119 APP 606 Appalachian Studies Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.

Studying Appalachian Studies: Making the Path by Walking. Chad Berry, Phillip J. Obermiller and Shaunna L. Scott, eds. University of Illinois Press, 2015.

Preferred Citation: [Record identification], Phillip Obermiller Papers and Appalachian Migration Research Collection 1950 – 2013, Berea College Special Collections & Archives, Berea, KY.

Processing Information: The collection was processed in December 2014 by Samuel Gleaves, Archives Processing Assistant. The finding aid was created by Lori Myers-Steele, Collections Archivist, with the help of Samuel Gleaves.

Other Note:

Selected materials from this collection have been digitized and are located here: https://berea.access.preservica.com/archive/sdb%3Acollection%7C01be5e50-a64b-4ffb-84a6-9ab21b0d9a66/

The collection was opened for research in December 2004.

BCA 0175 SAA 172

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Writings and Correspondence],
[Series 2: Urban Appalachian Council],
[Series 3: Research Committee-Urban Appalachian Council],
[Series 4: Subject Files],
[Series 5: Newspaper Series on Appalachian Migration],
[Series 6: Articles and Bibliographies],
[Series 7: Audio Visual Materials],
[All]

Series 4: Subject Files

This series contains research on Appalachian migration and related social issues, institutions and industries involved with urban Appalachians, and Appalachian populations in particular cities, including Cincinnati, Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio, Chicago, Illinois, and Detroit, Michigan. Series organized by subject.

Box 6

Folder 1: Alcoholism
Folder 2: Appalachian Centers
Folder 3: Appalachians and Criminal Justice System
Folder 4: Appalachian Culture "Understanding Culture and the Appalachian People" presentation
Folder 5: Appalachian Education
Folder 6: Appalachian Film
Folder 7: Appalachian Health notes
Folder 8: Appalachian Heritage and Identity
Folder 9: Appalachian History

Box 7

Folder 1: Appalachian Literature and Music
Folder 2: Appalachian Policy Statement
Folder 3: Appalachian Poverty, Causes of
Folder 4: Appalachian Regional Commission, History of
Folder 5: Appalachian Religion
Folder 6: Appalachian Slavery
Folder 7: Appalachian Women
Folder 8: Appalachian Women's Organization
Folder 9: Coal and Appalachia
Folder 10: Coal Mining and United Mine Workers of America
Folder 11: Company Towns
Folder 12: Council of Southern Mountains, 1958 - 1959
Folder 13: Council of Southern Mountains, 1960
Folder 14: Council of Southern Mountains, 1961 - 1962

Box 8

Folder 1: Council of Southern Mountains, 1963
Folder 2: Council of Southern Mountains, 1964
Folder 3: Council of Southern Mountains, 1965
Folder 4: Council of Southern Mountains, 1966
Folder 5: Council of Southern Mountains, 1967 - 1969
Folder 6: Council of Southern Mountains - article by John Glen, 1988
Folder 7: County Codes Appalachian Region
Folder 8: Family, general
Folder 9: Georgia, Atlanta
Folder 10: Illinois, Chicago Southern Culture Exchange Center, 1970 - 1979
Folder 11: Illinois, Chicago - writings on Chicago Southern Culture Exchange Center by Roger Guy
Folder 12: Illinois, Chicago - Jobs or Income Now (J.O.I.N.)
Folder 13: Illinois, Chicago - miscellaneous part 1
Folder 14: Illinois, Chicago - miscellaneous part 2

Box 9

Folder 1: Indiana, cities
Folder 2: Kentucky, Harlan County - various articles
Folder 3: Maps
Folder 4: Maryland, Baltimore
Folder 5: Michigan, Detroit - general
Folder 6: Michigan - Kentuckians of Michigan 1994 newsletter and interview with Bobbi Sue Williams, 1994
Folder 7: Michigan - Kentuckians of Michigan picnic programs, 1963 - 1968
Folder 8: Michigan - Kentuckians of Michigan picnic programs, 1970 - 1973, 1975 - 1979
Folder 9: Michigan - Kentuckians of Michigan picnic programs, 1980 - 1989

Box 10

Folder 1: Michigan - Kentuckians of Michigan picnic programs, 1990 - 1994
Folder 2: Migration, general
Folder 3: Mountain Life and Work articles referenced
Folder 4: News articles, Rural Appalachia, 1988 - 1995
Folder 5: News articles, Rural Appalachia, 1996 - 1999
Folder 6: News articles, Rural Appalachia, 2000 - 2004
Folder 7: News articles, Rural Appalachia, 2005 - 2008, no date
Folder 8: Ohio, Akron
Folder 9: Ohio, "Ohio Appalachian Counties" Cooperative Extension Service
Folder 10: Ohio, "Appalachians in Ohio"
Folder 11: Ohio Appalachian Sourcebook - University of Ohio Extension
Folder 12: Ohio Appalachian Arts Initiative
Folder 13: Ohio, Appalachian Ohio - economic development, misc. sources

Box 11

Folder 1: Ohio, Cincinnati - Appalachian Committee
Folder 2: Ohio, Cincinnati - Appalachian Committee Heritage Room project
Folder 3: Ohio, Cincinnati - Bragdon, Marshall
Folder 4: Ohio, Cincinnati - Burnham, Robert
Folder 5: Ohio, Cincinnati - Center for Urban Appalachian Health
Folder 6: Ohio, Cincinnati - Hands Across Ohio newsletter Council of Southern Mountains, 1962 - 1963
Folder 7: Ohio, Cincinnati - Huelsman, Ben
Folder 8: Ohio, Cincinnati - Junior League correspondence and publications
Folder 9: Ohio, Cincinnati - Mayor's Friendly Relations Committee, 1953 - 1959
Folder 10: Ohio, Cincinnati - Mayor's Friendly Relations Committee, 1960 - 1967
Folder 11: Ohio, Cincinnati - Human Relations Committee, 1970 - 1976
Folder 12: Ohio, Cincinnati - Lower Price Hill Community School -

Box 12

Folder 1: Ohio, Cincinnati - Lower Price Hill Community School - newsletters, annual reports, publications
Folder 2: Ohio, Cincinnati - Lower Price Hill Community School - correspondence, administrative, financial
Folder 3: Ohio, Cincinnati - Lower Price Hill Community School - fundraising letters
Folder 4: Ohio, Cincinnati - Lower Price Hill Community School - event invitations
Folder 5: Ohio, Cincinnati - miscellaneous news articles
Folder 6: Ohio, Cincinnati - miscellaneous
Folder 7: Ohio, Cincinnati - news articles Urban Appalachians, 1990 - 1994
Folder 8: Ohio, Cincinnati - news articles Urban Appalachians, 1995 - 1999
Folder 9: Ohio, Cincinnati - news articles Urban Appalachians, 2000 - 2009
Folder 10: Ohio, Cincinnati - news articles urban redevelopment
Folder 11: Ohio, Cincinnati - Urban Appalachian Awareness Project Video Catalog

Box 13

Folder 1: Ohio, Cincinnati - Voices Over The Rhine community newspaper
Folder 2: Ohio, Cincinnati - "Will There Be A Race Riot In Cincinnati" Div. of Negro Welfare Bulletin, 1943
Folder 3: Ohio, Cincinnati - 1954 Conference "The Southern Mountaineer in Cincinnati", 1954
Folder 4: Ohio, Cincinnati - 2000 Social Areas report, 2000
Folder 5: Ohio, Cleveland - interview with Ralph Bowles, Appalachian Action Council
Folder 6: Ohio, Cleveland - Ohio Urban Appalachian Awareness Project "A Report on Urban Appalachians In Cleveland, Ohio", 1978
Folder 7: Ohio, Cleveland - Ohio Urban Appalachian Awareness Project miscellaneous
Folder 8: Ohio, Cleveland - publications Urban Appalachians
Folder 9: Ohio, Cleveland - Public Library Appalachian Library and Culture Center
Folder 10: Ohio, Cleveland - Urban Ohio socioeconomic data
Folder 11: Ohio, Columbus
Folder 12: Ohio, Dayton - Appalachian Unsung Heroes award, Sinclair Community College
Folder 13: Ohio, Dayton - miscellaneous
Folder 14: Ohio, Dayton - Mountain Ink newsletter (some issues missing), Oct. 1997 - March 2000
Folder 15: Ohio, Dayton - Our Common Heritage organization

Box 14

Folder 1: Ohio, Dayton - R.E.A.C.H. Across Dayton
Folder 2: Ohio, Dayton - Surveys from Appalachian community workers Dayton, Cleveland
Folder 3: Ohio Magazine "In Search of Appalachian Culture", 1997
Folder 4: Ohio - O'Tucks Ohioans from Kentucky Association
Folder 5: Ohio - Proceedings of the Third Ohio Appalachian Conference, 1994
Folder 6: Ohio, St. Martin - Chatfield College newsletters, misc. publications
Folder 7: Ohio, Xenia - Kentucky Day
Folder 8: Perley Ayer
Folder 9: Rural Appalachian Social Patterns
Folder 10: Syllabi
Folder 11: Syllabi - Cunningham Intro. To Appalachia course syllabus and materials
Folder 12: Toyota - research and news articles
Folder 13: Toyota - zip drive unknown contents, CD with photos