Burton, Roach to discuss research highlighted in HBO documentary

JOHNSON CITY (Nov. 23, 2020) – “Serpent Handling and Religious Expression,” a discussion between Drs. Thomas Burton and Ron Roach of East Tennessee State University, will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m.

Hosted by the ETSU Archives of Appalachia, the discussion will center on Burton’s research into the religious rituals and practices of southern Appalachia, particularly of “signs following” Holiness Pentecostal churches. A portion of Burton’s research is featured in the upcoming documentary, “Alabama Snake,” which will premiere on HBO on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Some segments of the HBO interview with Burton were filmed on the ETSU campus, including the Archives of Appalachia in the Sherrod Library, while others were filmed at Burton’s lakeside cabin.

“Alabama Snake” highlights the story of Glenn Summerford, a Pentecostal minister in Scottsboro, Alabama, who was convicted of attempting to murder his wife with a rattlesnake in October 1991 and continues to serve his 99-year prison sentence. It is produced and directed by Theo Love, produced by Bryan Storkel, and written by Love and Storkel.

Burton, a professor emeritus of English, interviewed numerous individuals involved in the Summerford case, which he documented in his 2004 book, “The Serpent and the Spirit: Glenn Summerford’s Story,” published by the University of Tennessee Press. He also authored an earlier book titled “Serpent Handling Believers” and collaborated on documentary films examining the practices of churches that take literally – and incorporate into their practices – the words of Jesus in Mark 16:17-18: “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (NKJV).

Burton, who began researching the practice of serpent handling in the 1970s, first read a newspaper account of the Summerford story in 1991, but it wasn’t until 1999 that he began pursuing the story to learn more. In his research, he traveled to Alabama, where he interviewed Summerford’s mother and sister, church members, newspaper reporters and editors, the judge in the case, and others, and he gained permission to interview Summerford himself in prison. The tapes of these interviews, plus other materials Burton gathered in his examination of the subject, are now housed in the Archives of Appalachia and were used by the creators of “Alabama Snake” in their research for the new documentary.

Although Summerford was convicted of attempted murder, doubt still exists as to whether he was actually guilty.

“No one really knows what happened. It remains a ‘he said, she said’ case,” says Burton, who allows readers of “The Serpent and the Spirit” to make up their own minds and says the film does the same.

Burton points out that the charge against Summerford was initially an indictment on two counts of assault, but two months later the charge was changed to include attempted murder. And Summerford turned down a plea bargain offer, maintaining that he was not guilty.

“Since he had been involved years before in some really minor offenses, such as second-degree burglary and theft of a homemade motor valued at $50, he had ‘three strikes,’ so when he was convicted, he was sentenced to 99 years,” Burton said.

Some of those closest to Summerford still doubt his guilt. “They told me from the first, ‘If you knew Glenn Summerford, you knew he didn’t attempt to kill her. If he wanted her dead, she’d be dead,’” Burton said.

Burton believes his book presents a balanced view of the case. “It helps to give a rounded view of the circumstances, and shows that these are not crazy people who are just bizarre. They’re intelligent, faithful, responsible people.

“I think the emphasis in the film, in the ending, focuses on what Glenn sincerely believed. It’s hard to know what he did or didn’t do. I personally came away with the view of the mother and sister at the beginning, that he didn’t want her dead or he would’ve killed her, although there were a lot of circumstances – implied and stated – that she was really manipulating things to get away and be involved with another person. But I was convinced Glenn wanted to be a man of God. He wanted to stay in the church and work his ministry. Even in prison, he was continuing as a religious, believing Christian.”

Burton is pleased to be a part of HBO’s new production.

“It’s a flattering situation when your work is perceived as important enough to be used as part of a major, international film production,” he said. “It’s good for the university that we have an Archives with materials that are valuable and are being used in this way, and that’s the purpose of the Archives.

“And the purpose of my book is to present information about the individuals to begin with, as well as an aspect of religion and an aspect of Appalachia that’s important,” he continued. “I would hope this would produce interest in the book so more people would read it and have a broad base of their own perspective on some of these matters.”

Burton, who taught at ETSU from 1958 until his retirement in 1995, along with his Department of English colleague, the late Ambrose Manning, created the Oral History Archives, a multi-year project documenting Appalachian folklore, music and customs that became one of the foundational collections of the Archives of Appalachia at ETSU. The Archives also houses a noted film collection Burton created with the late Jack Schrader, who taught photography and chaired ETSU’s Department of Art and Design, and with Tom Headley, who was a professor in the Department of Communication.

Burton’s interest in the cultural and historical connections between Appalachia and the lands from which many of its people came led him to establish ETSU’s Appalachian, Scottish and Irish Studies (ASIS) Program, and he led students on numerous study abroad courses in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In addition to leading the Department of Appalachian Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, Roach directs the Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services at ETSU, of which both the Archives of Appalachia and ASIS are part.

To attend the live discussion via Zoom, go to https://etsu.zoom.us/j/92863344089. The event will be recorded and made available on YouTube (youtube.com/user/archivesofappalachia) for those who are unable to attend.

To view the official trailer of “Alabama Snake,” visit https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/alabama-snake.

For more information, call the ETSU Archives of Appalachia at 423-439-4338.

Pictured at top: Dr. Thomas Burton, ETSU professor emeritus of English, is pictured in this still image from "Alabama Snake." (Courtesy of HBO)