Author of Arkansas Arkansaw to Present: 'How to Speak Hillbilly in Seven Simple Steps"
2022-03-24 00:00:00[March 24, 2022 | MENA, Ark.] If you’re wondering ‘How to Speak Hillbilly in Seven Simple Steps’, there will be a comedic and yet historical lecture from Brooks Blevins on April 12 in the Ouachita Center.
Brooks Blevins is the Noel Boyd Professor of Ozarks Studies at Missouri State University. A native of north central Arkansas and graduate of Lyon College, Blevins is the author or editor of eleven books, including Arkansas/Arkansaw: How Bear Hunters, Hillbillies, and Good Ol' Boys Defined a State and the A History of the Ozarks trilogy.
Blevins’ presentation will be considered comedic by many but interestingly does offer a historical perspective into many of the peculiarities of the dialect of the Ouachitas and Ozarks.
The event is free and open to the community. It begins at 1:30 pm. It is made possible by a grant through the American Library Association’s Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries, an emergency relief program to assist libraries that have been adversely affected by the pandemic. The competitive $10,000 grant is assisting Johnson Learning Commons at UARM in delivering programs and services related to culture, history, literature, and other humanities subjects.
Two other events are planned later this year through this grant. Ben Shreve, formerly of Mena, will hold a musical performance at 7 p.m., also in the Ouachita Center. Details on the third event are still being finalized but is expected to be held in June and will feature a textile artist from New York.
UA Rich Mountain’s mission is to provide transformative education to all learners.
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