Following Jesse Stuart’s death in 1984, the Jesse Stuart Foundation became Stuart’s institutional extension, advancing literacy through publishing and teaching. We have managed his massive literary estate, republished his books, promoted Stuart’s legacy, and offered a broad range of public activities including writing workshops [...]
In his 1956 autobiography, “The Year of My Rebirth,” Jesse Stuart makes brief mention of the murder of “Nick” Nickapopolis, a pack peddler who worked W-Hollow on a monthly basis. Little is known of “Nick”—the people of W-Hollow did not even know his first [...]
Jesse Stuart Weekend Greenbo Lake State Resort Park September 25-26, 2026 For more information: JSF at 606-326-1667 or jsf@jsfbooks.com LODGE RESERVATION: To make room reservations at the Jesse Stuart Lodge, call Greenbo Lake State Resort Park at [...]
Jesse Stuart was a man of cyclonic energy and activity. He was a prolific author, a far-sighted conservationist, an active spokesperson for the people of his Appalachian homeland, and “first, last, and always,” said Stuart, “I am a teacher. Good teaching is forever, and [...]
In 1985, when I assumed executive leadership, the Jesse Stuart Foundation was an organization that lacked leadership and direction. Those early board meetings, between 1979 and 1985, had a clown-car atmosphere. I brought the Jesse Stuart Foundation to Ashland through the generous leadership of [...]
To celebrate Independence Day, I offer the following praise for the soldiers who won and preserved our independence. For the purpose of this article, I use the word soldier to mean any man or woman who served in any branch of America’s armed forces. [...]
John W. McCauley writes non-fiction and poetry. His first book, “Kentucky Is My Home: A Journey into the Life of Jesse Hilton Stuart,” was released in April 2025. The book climbed to #1 on the Jesse Stuart Foundation best-seller list in October 2025. He [...]
The Jesse Stuart Foundation is now accepting session proposals for the 2027 Jesse Stuart Writers Workshop, scheduled for April 16–17, 2027 at the Delta Hotel, 1441 Winchester Avenue, Ashland, KY. Held annually in honor of renowned Appalachian author Jesse Stuart, the workshop brings together [...]
The Jesse Stuart Foundation’s “Appalachian Murders & Mysteries: True Stories From West Virginia, Kentucky and Southern Ohio,” is now available in a softback edition. The more-than-400-page book includes 23 murder stories from the early 19th century to today. Among the true stories are accounts [...]
In 1957, Marty Robbins wrote and sang a song filled with teen angst that became number one on the country chart. “A White Sports Coat and a Pink Carnation” told the story of young man who was “all dressed up for the dance,” but [...]
