J. W. Williamson (1) (1944–)

Jerry Wayne Williamson (1944-) was born to Bill and Irene Williamson in Dallas, Texas. He was educated at Wayland College and University of Utah. Williamson worked as an English professor at Appalachian State University from 1970 to 2000. He taught classes in Appalachian Literature and Appalachian Film as well as Appalachian Studies Colloquium. He also edited the Appalachian Journal, An Appalachian symposium: essays written in honor of Cratis D. Williams (1977), and Interviewing Appalachia: the Appalachian journal interviews, 1978-1992 (1994). He wrote The myth of the conqueror: Prince Henry Stuart, a study of 17th century personation (1978), Southern mountaineers in silent films: plot synopses of movies about moonshining, feuding, and other mountain topics, 1904-1929 (1994), and Hillbillyland: what the movies did to the mountains and what the mountains did to the movies (1995). Williamson was also active in the Appalachian Studies Association and the Democratic Party.