According to the Oxford dictionary, ‘Affrilachian’ refers to African Americans who are native to or reside in the Appalachian mountains. Affrilachians have lived in the Southern Appalachian Mountains for more than 200 years. However, very little visual documentation exists on these communities, even though they have contributed greatly to the culture and history of Appalachia. In the late 1800’s, Affrilachians made up a large portion of the population in the Appalachian Mountains. Self-sufficient communities with schools, churches, and stores were fairly common. Over time the Affrilachian population has decreased significantly, but some small communities still remain. This project documents life in these communities as a way to preserve a part of American history that may cease to exist in the future as well as to explore the culture and traditions of a population that has been largely underrepresented. The communities represented in these photos are located in northern Georgia and western North Carolina.