The Ozarks Studies Institute, an initiative of the MSU Libraries, will host a free and open-to-the-public discussion of “Queen of the Hillbillies: The Writings of May Kennedy McCord” as part of its ongoing author talk series. The event will be held Thursday, April 28 at 7 p.m. in the Ozarks Room (302) of the Duane G. Meyer Library on the MSU Springfield Campus. The talk will also be livestreamed via Zoom.

Edited by Patti McCord and Kristene Sutliff, the book compiles the best of May Kennedy McCord’s widely scattered columns, articles, stories, and ballads as well as unpublished material from her personal files. At the event, both McCord and Sutliff will discuss their process in preserving and sharing these works.

The legacy

May Kennedy McCord, known as the “First Lady of the Ozarks” and “Queen of the Hillbillies,” spent most of her life working to preserve the unwritten history, songs, and stories of the Ozarks. Beginning in the 1920s, she was recognized as one of America’s foremost folklorists as she shared her knowledge through lectures, newspaper columns, magazine stories, radio programs, and music festivals. She was an entertainer who became as much of a tourist attraction as her beloved hills and often entertained tour groups that wanted to learn about the Ozarks.

About the Ozarks Studies Institute

The Ozarks Studies Institute seeks to preserve the history and culture of the Ozarks by fostering a comprehensive knowledge of Ozarks people and their heritage.

The OSI’s author talk series is part of the university’s scholarly content leading up to its participation in the 2023 Smithsonian Institution’s Folklife Festival. The festival will feature the history and culture of the Ozarks region, presented in part by Missouri State, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.