JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University will be able to better preserve the region’s history for future generations thanks to grant funding.

According to a news release from ETSU, the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ “Save America’s Treasures” program awarded the Archives of Appalachia a grant for more than $170,000.

The Archives of Appalachia contains the following:

• More than 1,000 oral history interviews and recordings of music performances
• 1,500 original photos of the area
• 100 linear feet of paper documents from the early 1900s through the 21st century

The ETSU Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services created and compiled the collection between 1983 and 2016. Various researchers and experts in anthropology acquired the records.

The grant will allow the documents, photos and interviews to be repackaged and digitally copied so they can be better preserved and their longevity extended.

“This collection represents an unparalleled source of original materials that provide nuanced depictions of Appalachia, a region that is all too often reduced to one-dimensional stereotypes that obscure its vibrancy, beauty and depth,” Dr. Jeremy Smith, director of the Archives of Appalachia, said in the release. “I couldn’t be happier that the Institute of Museum and Library Services has recognized what we at ETSU have long known: the Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services is an American treasure, and the work it does is worth preserving for future generations.”