When I imagine a southern hollow, my mind takes me to a sunken clearing in the mountains or the woods… a good spot to build a bright campfire -- and tell a story. But the more I explore the history of my part of the world, the more I come across a new kind of southern hollows: men and women missing that bit of conscience or soul or whatever you want to call it that lets us see, and feel, somebody else’s humanity.
And though many of their tales are little known, they often have shaped history, and are definitely stories we ought to remember.
So once in a while, that’s precisely what we do.
And though many of their tales are little known, they often have shaped history, and are definitely stories we ought to remember.
So once in a while, that’s precisely what we do.
The Host: Stinson Liles
Stinson Liles is a writer and a branding consultant who has advised a variety of national non-profits, including the National Civil Rights Museum, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and the Library of Congress. He lives in Memphis with his wife, his children, his dogs, and his Dad’s old Booker T and the MGs records.
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For years, I've loved history and storytelling podcasts. There's Backstory and Memory Palace and Lore and, of course, Dan Carlin's monster of a podcast, Hardcore History, and I have long fantasized about joining them with a historical story podcast that draws listeners into the events of decades -- maybe even centuries -- ago. Not really serious, I wrote them in my head in the shower and on the expressway and while my mother explained whose sister-in-law it was she saw at lunch on Thursday. (Don't worry, she won't see this. She doesn't have the Internet.)
But as a changing world unfolds before us, I became more and more interested in sharing stories about those moments in our past when we listened to our darker hearts. And Southern Hollows was born. And while my final inspiration was current, I promise never to engineer parallels or force-feed a moral of the story. Please call me out if you catch me doing it. Most of all, I hope to hear from you. Most writers write for others (the rest lie about writing for others), and I am sincere when I say reach out. Now, back to history. |