Veterans Legacy Project
Heroes Among Us — a stunning coffee-table photography book of West Virginia veterans, Rosies, and Gold Star Mothers — co-edited by Baber alongside photographer Mark Romano.
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Appalachian Poet & Storyteller
Bob Henry Baber
Poet Laureate of Richwood, West Virginia. Novelist, teacher, mosaic artist, and tireless voice for the mountains and people of Appalachia.
About Bob Henry Baber
A Life Rooted in Story, Service, and the Mountains
Bob Henry Baber has spent a lifetime weaving together the threads of poetry, prose, community leadership, and folk art. A Kellogg National Leadership Fellow and one of only two recipients of the National Wilderness Society's "Hero" designation in 2007, Baber is as comfortable before a school classroom as he is at the podium of a national conference.
As former Honorable Mayor of Richwood, West Virginia, he led his community's response to the catastrophic Thousand Year Flood of June 2016 — the seventh worst flash flood in the United States in the past century. Through all of it, he has never stopped writing.
He has been a grant writer, widely published Appalachian poet, novelist, creative writing teacher, mosaic artist, keynote speaker, storyteller, populist politician, environmentalist, and the creator of the Yeager Airport "Adoption" — where over 10,000 trees have now been planted.
Veterans Legacy Project →
His Work
Poetry, Prose & Purpose
Books & Poems
From the critically acclaimed novel Pure Orange Sunshine to beloved children's books, Baber's writing spans decades and touches every age and generation.
ExploreWorkshops
Creative writing, poetry, mosaic art, and memory jug making — for schools, organizations, and "children of all ages." Available for bookings statewide and beyond.
Book a Workshop
From His Poetry
Taking Mercies Where I Can
…in the clear cool waters
of Deckers creek,
I quickly bath
shiver in the shade
and hustle to the fire pit
to warm my numb veiny feet
I watch as thunderstorm clouds
snag in tree tips
Soon lightning bugs
will jitterbug in tall grass
and write fluorescent hieroglyphics
in night’s dark ink
…I am,
to say both the least
and the most,
an exceedingly
blessed
man
of Deckers creek,
I quickly bath
shiver in the shade
and hustle to the fire pit
to warm my numb veiny feet
I watch as thunderstorm clouds
snag in tree tips
Soon lightning bugs
will jitterbug in tall grass
and write fluorescent hieroglyphics
in night’s dark ink
…I am,
to say both the least
and the most,
an exceedingly
blessed
man
— BHB, June 2019
Folk Art & Story
Memory Pieces
For over ten years, Baber has conducted Memory Jug workshops based on an antique jug he found in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. The workshops weave together storytelling, creative writing, and the hands-on art of memory jug making.
His first major exhibit at Glenville State College's Fine Arts Gallery drew visitors from across the region — including a piece from the art collection of Governor Joe Manchin and First Lady Gail Manchin.
See the Collection
Environmental Legacy
Read the Full Story
The Yeager Airport Adoption
Creator of the largest airport "adoption" in West Virginia history — over 10,000 trees planted at Yeager Airport in Charleston through a landmark partnership with Glenville State College.
10,000+
Trees Planted
146
Acres Reclaimed
2008
Project Launch
Bring Bob Henry Baber to Your Event
Readings, keynotes, workshops, memory murals — available for schools, organizations, and communities across West Virginia and beyond.