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The organization began as the Highlander Folk School, which was founded by Myles Horton (who remained one of its driving forces until his death in 1990), Don West, and Jim Dombrowski, among others, during the Great Depression. Its name reflected both its inspiration—the folk high schools of Scandinavia, which Horton had previously visited—and the population the school initially sought to help—those living in Appalachia, sometimes referred to as “mountain men.” The school, which was located in Monteagle, Grundy County, Tennessee, offered classes that were socio-educational activities. The county’s folk culture was expressed through the singing and fiddling of mountain songs, which, along with religious meetings, became part of the educational model, as did classes that focused on residents’ issues. Many of those issues were labor-related; Grundy County wages were among the lowest among the Works Progress Administration (WPA) unions in the country. Highlander therefore became a center for worker organizing, and the school worked with unions at the local level to develop leadership and assist workers in various strikes and sit-ins.

In the 1950s, Highlander's focus shifted to civil rights, for which it became better known. It began offering workshops to develop leaders in the movement, and notable attendees included Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. Later in the decade, Septima Poinsette Clark, who worked at Highlander, was part of its voter registration drive, and singapore phone number checker played a key role in creating Highlander's Citizens' Schools, which were designed to aid literacy and foster a sense of political empowerment within the black community. With its growing role in the civil rights movement, however, the school faced increased scrutiny. Amid accusations that it advocated communism, Highlander was investigated by the Tennessee legislature, and in 1961 its charter was revoked. The school's property was seized by the state, and later that year, Highlander moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, where it reopened as the Highlander Research and Education Center.

Highlander later returned to turn her attention to the social problems of Appalachia. With the community's increasing reliance on social welfare programs, Highlander began using her educational resources to increase the people's self-sufficiency. In 1971 she moved to New Market, Tennessee, and later became involved in environmental issues and supported anti-globalization efforts. She also works for immigration reform and is active in international peace initiatives.