Junaluska ABC Book
Front Cover of The Junaluska ABC Book
March 14 – April 22, 2023 | Alexander Community Gallery
A village within a village
Junaluska, Boone’s historically black community, has a unique and continuous history beginning in the mid to late 1800’s. Many of the people living in Junaluska today trace their roots to the fifteen original white, Cherokee and African American (freedman and slaves) families who settled there. Though the community is located within the city limits of Boone many residents remain unaware of its existence or its contributions to the town.
The Junaluska ABC Book shares the childhood memories of Betty Grimes, Carolyn Grimes, and Roberta Jackson who grew up in this community descended from these original families. Living in Vilas and also tracing her heritage through these families, Peggy Horton attended school at the Old Consolidated School on the hill. Organized alphabetically their memories paint a unique picture of growing up in an isolated segregated community above downtown Boone. These circumstances created extraordinary bonds within the community strengthened by education, faith and family. They remember with love and humor their childhoods growing up on “the hill and the mountain”. The book is illustrated by Anitra Ball, daughter of Peggy Grimes. We hope their memories contribute to an awareness of the rich diversity of our mountain heritage.
Copies of the Junaluska ABC book will be available for purchase in the BRAHM gift shop for $14.95 + tax