Articles and Interviews

Catching up with Nancy Brown Diggs (In Search of Appalachia)

Published in the Extraordinary Times, September 12th, 2021

This week The Extraordinary Times caught up with Nancy Brown Diggs, author of the recently-published In Search of Appalachia (Hamilton/Rowman and Littlefield). An avid traveler who has visited every continent, Nancy has lived in France, participated in language immersion/ homestay programs in Japan and Mexico, and volunteered in Ecuador, Romania, and Haiti.

My View: Cuban life involves shortages and decay

Published in the Buffalo News, July 26, 2021 — By Nancy B. Diggs

“As I read about the protests in Cuba, I can almost say I saw it coming. When a brief thaw enabled a few organizations to arrange “cultural exchanges” in 2012, I was quick to join.”

Reflections on race in the 1950s: A white woman tells what she thought of Black people

Published in the Courier Journal, February 25, 2021 — By Nancy B. Diggs

“What did you think of Black people when you were growing up?”

This was the question that Daron, my young Black friend, posed to me, a white woman of a certain age who grew up in Louisville. “We didn’t know any!” I replied. “They were all on the west side, and we were on the east.” That was the quick answer, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that he deserved a better one.

Kettering Author Explores Appalachia In New Book

Published in the Dayton Daily News, February 2, 2020 — By Sharon Short

Kettering resident Nancy Diggs recently shared that her newest—and eighth—nonfiction book, In Search of Appalachia was published in December by Hamilton / Roman & Littlefield. Diggs writes extensively about a wide variety of cultures, and for her newest book says, “Having written several books that touched on other cultures, I thought it was time to look at one closer to my own, geographically, that is.”

Diggs To Focus On Immigrants Hidden In The Heartland

Posted: The Chautauquan Daily, July 22, 2015 — By Deborah Trefts

As she wrote in its preface, Hidden in the Heartland began with an unwanted summons to jury duty for a case involving two undocumented Latino brothers who had accused an Appalachian boy of assault and robbery. They spoke only Spanish and needed an interpreter in court. The jury found the youth guilty of assault, but not robbery.

Author Looks In Backyard, And Far Beyond

“The underlying message of that book was ‘don’t write off inner city kids.’ With the right schools and grit, these kids can accomplish a lot, and that’s what we’re seeing already with DECA graduates,” Nancy says, “many of whom are now returning to the community to help make it even better.”

Great Decisions 2007 Migration | How Does Globalization Affect Immigration?

This week’s participants: Beavercreek High School students [Anu Menon, Ben Hoffman, Betty Bai, and Margaret Nevrekar] posed questions to Nancy Brown Diggs, who has published four books on international topics.

Kettering Vacationers Achieve ‘Bucket List’ Goal, Matt And Nancy Diggs Share Utah Travel Advice

Published in the Dayton Daily News, April 27, 2007 — By Nancy Diggs, Contributing Writer

Books like Patricia Schultz’s 1,000 Things to See Before You Die or the movie The Bucket List urge us to see and do everything while we can. It’s a message I’ve taken to heart. Usually it’s my husband, Matt, who plans our adventures, he who over 50 years ago promised to love, honor, and push me to do things I’m scared to do.

Helping In Haiti: Extreme Poverty Hinders Recovery

I thought I’d seen poverty before. After all, I’d volunteered in Ecuador and rural Romania, visited Russia with the Miami Valley Episcopal Russian Network, and seen many other impoverished areas of the world, including our own inner cities. Nothing prepared me, however, for the vast misery In post-earthquake Haiti.

Author Analyzes Illegal Immigration In US

Nancy Diggs was on jury duty for a case involving the equal rights of two Costa Rican immigrants, not United States citizens. An interesting experience for any juror, but for writer Diggs it became the theme for a book. “I wanted to learn more about today’s problem with unscrupulous employers who hire immigrant workers with no recourse to defend themselves against little wages and deplorable conditions. It’s illegal and unfair to companies trying to honestly compete, plus being unfair to American workers,” she said.

Undocumented Immigrants Pose Challenges, Bring Narratives To America

Nancy Brown Diggs is always amazed at how willing people are to tell their stories. An author and co-author of six books, Diggs was particularly surprised by the forthrightness of those she interviewed for her latest book, Hidden in the Heartland: The New Wave of Immigrants and the Challenge to America.

“Lewis at Large,” KLWN radio podcast, May 10, 2020.

“Michael Clish,” WFAW radio podcast, Morning Magazine, May 13, 2020, Part 2.

“Phil Parker Show,” KFYR radio podcast: “Summer Road Trip Ideas: Summer road trip ideas from Nancy Brown Diggs, author of In Search of Appalachia.” May 18, 2020.

“Brian and Lee Show,” WWDB-AM radio podcast, May 30, 2020.