Darlene O’Dell

I am a writer, photographer, and teacher from the Carolinas. I was born in the textile town of Union, South Carolina, where parts of my family settled after leaving the mountains of North Carolina for work in the mills. Three of my grandparents worked in the mill, two as children. My other grandparent ran a small café next to the mill and, on Fridays, sold fried chicken, two vegetables, and unlimited iced tea for $1.25. Everyone in my family wanted something different for my sisters and me, so I attended Presbyterian College, Clemson University, and William and Mary, earning a Ph.D. in American Studies. I have since returned to Appalachia and live where my ancestors once called home.