Eliot Wigginton is an educator best known for founding the Foxfire Project in 1966, where he pioneered experiential learning by guiding students to document Appalachian oral histories and traditions. The Foxfire books achieved national bestseller status and greatly influenced how Americans perceive folk culture. Wigginton’s career came to a controversial end following his conviction for child molestation in 1992. Despite this, the Foxfire Project remains a significant landmark in public history and community-based education.