Episode 290 - Womens History Month - The Packhorse Librarians of Appalachia

In this episode, we set the Elevator of History to the Kentucky portion of the Appalachians where we check out the Packhorse Librarians.  Women, funded by the WPA, who brought books into the hoots and hollers of Kentucky, providing reading and kinship in rural communities who otherwise would have no access to books.  They traveled on mules and horses carrying books in saddlebags and pillowcases to needy communities and while they only lasted a short time, they helped change rural Kentucky and make it part of the modern world and helped raise the rate of illiteracy from 31 percent to just 5 percent in the 1940s.  We cover the history, notable packhorse librarians and do our best to honor the history of these 'book women'.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/family-plot--4670465/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices