by Michael Maloney
There are people who are so real, so fully themselves, that they are a joy and a blessing to all they meet. Francie Pepper was one of these.
The Urban Appalachian Community Coalition joins with countless others to pay homage to Francie Pepper, who died last month at the age of 84.
Francie was a woman of vision and heart who loved her family but recognized, reached out to, and connected with so many others as well. Francie had a deep and personal commitment to justice: she was a person who could lead but was just as willing to take a lesser role if that was what was needed. Francie’s reach was not only local; when she died, Nancy Pelosi addressed the US House of Representatives to recognize her life of service to her country.
Empowerment certainly characterized Francie’s work with the Appalachian community here in Cincinnati. She was a member of the Junior League, women who researched the needs of rural and urban Appalachian artists and craftspeople organized the first Appalachian Festival outside Appalachia then turned the project over to the local community by setting up the Appalachian Community Development Association (ACDA) which has distributed the proceeds to self-help, anti-poverty efforts.
UACC Core member Maureen Sullivan relates what Francie shared when she was honored at the Urban Appalachian Council’s Kinship Dinner:
“Francie grew up in Mt. Auburn. By the late 1950s, the area around her home began to fill with Appalachian migrant families. Whether through them or on her own she started listening to the Midwestern Hayride. That’s when she decided to learn to play the accordion. At the Kinship Dinner, having brought along her accordion, she treated all the guests by playing a tune.
“At another time she talked about when she was a young Junior League member. At the time, the national Junior League leadership had identified the Appalachian region, the automation of the coal fields, and the massive out-migration as an area of focus. In order to better understand the situation, the local chapter leadership invited Ernie Mynatt to come and talk periodically. He talked about the region, the economy pre and post automation, but mostly about the issues that Appalachian Migrants were facing in the 1960’s in this local area – the overcrowded schools, the tenement apartments that had been split and split again in order to squeeze ever more people in, treatment by the police, and more. The local Junior League decided to sponsor a craft festival to give regional crafts people access to an income source and local individuals a source of fine handmade products. In support of that goal, Francie started to travel around the region finding and recruiting craft co-op’s, wood carvers, all kinds of crafts people to agree to come – and the first Appalachian Festival was born. Originally at Music Hall, later at Convention Center, and until last year, finally at Coney, it has continued for over 50 years. I believe one time she told me that even in the later years, she always tried to visit the festival at least once each year.”
These many years later, the Appalachian Festival begins anew this Mother’s Day Weekend in nearby New Richmond. “Except for occasional floods and the Pandemic, we have operated continuously since we took over the festival in 1975 and have given away over $200,000 to help the poor and promote Appalachian arts and crafts,” said Shanon Rice, ACDA President. “Thousands of Appalachians and people of all ethnicities have been able to experience Appalachian culture up close.”
When independent Appalachian filmmaker Dale Farmer wanted to make a film based on a migrant family of traditional musicians, several members of the Pepper family got involved. Dale Farmer and Francie’s daughter, Susan, funded a concept trailer to help raise funds. When Francie saw the effort needed a boost, she refused to accept the role of executive producer, but agreed to help in a less visible role. She became the biggest cheerleader for the project,” said Farmer. She got a lot of people involved that way. The creative team decided that it needed to be upgraded to a full-length film, not a short film. Mountain Minor was on its way. It was well received by audiences, was shown at film festivals and won some awards. It was through such projects that Francie maintained a lifetime set of relationships and commitments to the Appalachian community and giving voice to those who are not always heard.
The last time I saw Francie was last December. I asked if she was interested in being interviewed for any untold stories. At first, she said no; a few minutes later she said she would like for me to interview two women who “lit up the Woman’s City Club” and helped turn things around. “Their stories have not been told.” As Maureen says, “Francie was always a supporter and a voice for those who had no voice. Never wanting to ‘put herself forward’ but always working to bring attention and resources to what matters.”
Cover photo: Francie Pepper Provided by Pepper Family
Michael Maloney is founder of the Urban Appalachian Community Coalition and until recently served as its convener. He is a community organizer, social researcher, consultant and activist and currently operates a consulting service, Michael Maloney and Associates. He has conducted numerous neighborhood studies and community needs assessments. His Social Areas of Cincinnati (five editions; sixth in progress) provide documentation of how Cincinnati and the metropolis have changed demographically from 1970 to the present. Other publications include Appalachia: Social Context Past and Present (Fourth and Fifth Editions with Phillip Obermiller, eds.) Michael has received community service awards from the Community Action Agency, Berea College, Sinclair Community College, Community Shares, the Woman’s City Club, the Urban Appalachian Council and the Appalachian Studies Association.