November 7th 2024.
The Appalachian region has been deeply impacted by the departure of industries, leaving behind abandoned buildings and a lack of employment opportunities. In 2016, when Donald Trump was elected as the 45th president of America, many were left wondering why so many people had voted for him. And now, as he is re-elected for a second term, JD Vance's book seems to hold all the answers.
Vance's memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," became a bestseller, selling over a million copies and even securing a Netflix movie deal. Some even credit it for launching Vance's political career. In the introduction of his book, Vance writes, "To understand me, you must understand that I am a Scots-Irish hillbilly at heart." These words were written by the man who is now the vice president to Donald Trump, who was just re-elected this week.
Vance's connection to the Appalachian region is evident in his writing, as he attributes part of Trump's 2016 victory to this area. The promise of bringing back industries to the struggling region was a lifeline that the people had been eagerly waiting for. However, despite Vance's apparent understanding and empathy for the community, it is revealed that he never actually lived in Appalachia.
In reality, Vance was born and raised in rural Ohio, in the Rust Belt, after his grandparents moved there from Jackson, Kentucky. But he still considers the holler in Kentucky that he visited during his childhood as his true home. In his nearly 250 page memoir, he writes about the trials and tribulations of the region, stating, "I identify with the millions of working-class white Americans of Scots-Irish descent who have no college degree. Americans call them hillbillies, rednecks, or white trash. I call them neighbors, friends, and family."
But what do the actual people of Appalachia think of Vance's portrayal of their homeland and way of life? JD Vance's book, "Hillbilly Elegy," was the foundation of his public image. The Appalachian region is much larger than the UK and is home to what many consider to be America's "contemporary ancestors." Named after the Appalachian mountain range that runs through it, this region spans across 13 US states, from New York to Mississippi.
Dr. Anthony Harkins, a Professor of History at Western Kentucky University and co-author of "Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds to Hillbilly Elegy," explains that Appalachia is a vast and diverse area. He says, "There is a northern and southern Appalachia, with major cities. It is a place that has been defined by extractive industries, but those industries have been in decline for most of its history."
One of these industries was coal mining, which used to provide stable job opportunities in the rural areas of Appalachia. However, the industry's decline has not only affected employment but also devastated the local ecosystems. As a result, the region has been largely ignored by the rest of America, with the mindset of "out of sight, out of mind."
Dr. Harkins compares Appalachia to rural areas in the UK, such as Wales or northern Scotland. These regions have a proud heritage and rich cultural traditions but are often overlooked and resistant to change. The 2016 Presidential Election, and now the 2020 election, saw a significant majority of southern Appalachia voting for Donald Trump.
In her essay, "Hillbillies Need No Elegy," Meredith McCarroll, director of writing and rhetoric at Bowdoin College, writes, "Every now and then, America remembers Appalachia exists. One of those moments came after the 2016 Presidential election, as America looked around – a bit stunned – wondering why the rural working class had helped put in office a wealthy businessman from New York." After Vance's book was released, another book, "Appalachian Reckoning," written by McCarroll and Harkins, was published. It featured personal essays from real Appalachians, who were born and raised in the region, in response to "Hillbilly Elegy."
McCarroll says, "Vance spent time with his grandparents in Eastern Kentucky and has legitimate ties to that place." However, the Appalachians have been subjected to harsh and unfair stereotypes, and "Appalachian Reckoning" aims to provide a more accurate representation of the region and its people.
Industries have abandoned Appalachia, leaving behind abandoned buildings and a lack of employment opportunities. This issue came to the forefront in 2016, when Donald Trump was elected as the 45th president of the United States and then re-elected in 2020. At that time, J.D. Vance's book, "Hillbilly Elegy", seemed to provide all the answers to why so many Americans voted for Trump. The book, which sold over a million copies and was even made into a Netflix movie, also played a role in launching Vance's own political career.
In the book's introduction, Vance, who was re-elected as Trump's vice president, wrote, "To understand me, you must understand that I am a Scots-Irish hillbilly at heart." He further emphasized his connection to Appalachia, a region he held dear but felt was often overlooked and struggling. Vance believed that Trump's promise to bring industry back to the area was a much-needed lifeline for the community.
However, despite his apparent closeness to the community, Vance never actually lived in Appalachia. He was born and raised in rural Ohio, in the Rust Belt, after his grandparents moved there from Jackson, Kentucky. Nevertheless, Vance claims that the holler in Kentucky he visited during his childhood was his true home and wrote about the region's struggles and hardships in his memoir.
"I identify with the millions of working-class white Americans of Scots-Irish descent who have no college degree," Vance wrote in his book. "Americans call them hillbillies, rednecks, or white trash. I call them neighbors, friends, and family." But the question remains: what do the real people of Appalachia think of Vance's account of their homeland and lives?
The Appalachian region, named after the mountain range that runs through it, is enormous, spanning across 13 US states from New York to Mississippi. Dr. Anthony Harkins, Professor of History at Western Kentucky University and co-author of "Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds to Hillbilly Elegy," describes the area as diverse, with northern and southern regions and major cities. However, the region has predominantly been defined by extractive industries, such as coal mining, which have been in decline for most of the region's history.
Coal mining, which once provided job opportunities in rural Appalachia, has also had a devastating impact on the local environment. And when the coal ran out, so did the jobs and money. As a result, Appalachia has been largely ignored and forgotten by the rest of America. Dr. Harkins compares the region to rural Wales or northern Scotland in the UK, with proud traditions and a rich musical culture, but often overlooked and resistant to change.
The 2016 presidential election brought Appalachia back into the national spotlight, as the region overwhelmingly voted for Trump. In her essay, "Hillbillies Need No Elegy," Meredith McCarroll, director of writing and rhetoric at Bowdoin College, writes, "Every now and then, America remembers Appalachia exists. One of those moments came after the 2016 Presidential election, as America looked around, a bit stunned, wondering why the rural working class had helped put in office a wealthy businessman from New York." McCarroll, along with Dr. Harkins, responded to Vance's book with their own, "Appalachian Reckoning," which featured personal essays from real Appalachians who were born and raised in the region.
McCarroll notes that Vance does have legitimate ties to the region, having spent time with his grandparents in Eastern Kentucky. However, she also believes that the Appalachian people have been subjected to cruel stereotypes, which Vance's book may have perpetuated. The region's residents are proud of their heritage and culture, but they also face many complex issues that cannot be easily explained by one book.
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