By Larry Craig
Many a Cumberland County resident will go to his or her grave remembering when a small army of sharpshooters invaded Burkesville, the county seat, eager to make use of foreign-made weapons to capture everything and everybody.
The invasion took place in September of 1980 and 1981 The army consisted of photography students, faculty members from Western Kentucky University and several nationally recognized photojournalists. Captured on film were dozens of people, places and things – many of which are featured in this book.
Students chosen to participate in what was officially known as the WKU Mountain People’s Workshop were given assignments, travel directions, 10 rolls of film and orders not to embarrass the university. The photographs and memories the students carried back to campus erase any doubts as to the success of the workshop.
The people of Cumberland County opened their homes and hearts to the photographers, many of whom had heard about but never experienced true Southern hospitality.
Pictures were taken and friendships made as students and staff members fanned out from the makeshift command post in Burkesville.
The students who traveled to Cumberland County encountered a people influenced by decades of semi-isolation from the outside world, resulting in a unique pocket of traditional culture.
It is a place of sandy river bottoms and heavily forested hillsides, of people who love the Grand
Old Opry, respect the flag and get choked up when “My Old Kentucky Home” is sung. It is a place where residents were kind enough to make welcome a group of camera-toting strangers whose photographs are found here.
