User:Ahussain36/Appalachian stereotypes

Overview

What picture comes into mind when people think about Appalachia? The Appalachian region and its people are mostly viewed negatively due to the ‘Appalachian Stereotype’. These are generalizations that people, especially those that live outside the region have towards the place and its inhabitants. Notably, the mainstream media has played a big role in promoting these stereotypes . This is because majority of them only concentrate on the negative side of the region, posting bad pictures as a representation of Appalachia. Therefore, the pictures posted and the information published concerning the Appalachians and their culture misguides the audience. The rest of the world ends up referring and viewing Appalachia as the worst place to live in. For instance, there are stereotypes that have come from the belief that individuals in Appalachia are illiterate, lazy, and racially homogenous. This erases the real picture of Appalachia as a diverse region with a rich culture and friendly people.

History of the Appalachians

The real identity of Appalachia consists of a diverse and rich culture. The Appalachian region was first inhabited by the Native Americans before the other races such as the Powhatan and Cherokee groups moved there . The people of Appalachia can trace their ancestral background from the large migration of Scotch-Irish where their ancestors used to live. The previous stereotypes in their ancestral lands made them to move . These immigrants were also discriminated in their original region of settlement and that is why they decided to move to the Appalachian Mountains.

Appalachian Mountains

Also, the Scotch-Irish moved to their new region which is Appalachia because it resembled their previous bushy environment and thus reminded them of their origin. Furthermore, after the immigrants had settled in the Appalachian region, the African-Americans who were set free from slavery also migrated and became inhabitants of the place. This is where diversity started taking shape in Appalachia as people from different backgrounds and places of origin settled in the Appalachian Mountain although the media does not reveal this part . The population kept on growing as more communities migrated to Appalachia. One of the biggest populations that the region ever recorded was around 1870 to 1950 . As of 2014, approximately 42 percent of the population of the Appalachian region was made up of minorities.

Notably, the increased population growth was a result of the expansion of coal mining that attracted various immigrants. The people wanted to be part of the coal mining business and improve their living standards. Contrarily, the Appalachian inhabitants lived under low life standards due to poverty. The Appalachian economy is poor with the people having very low income levels that can barely sustain a descent lifestyle. Smith, in his article concerning the Appalachian history states that he has “never seen is national coverage that portrays this place as the home of rich legacies of radical labor organizing” .  This explains why majority of the people of Appalachia are said to live poor conditions and every time the media wants to refer to a poor economy uses the Appalachia region as the ideal example.

Stereotype

Region

What are some of the thoughts when you think of the Appalachian region? It will not be a surprise if you think of hillbillies, rednecks, and other labels on people living in the area. The Appalachian region spans from New York to Mississippi and Alabama. Not many people will use those labels on people living in New York. So why is it just the southern area of the region? The mason dixie line is the distinction between the “north” and the “south.” The more south you go, the more Stereotypes come about. There are more stereotypes since most areas become more rural, meaning they are not around other people than other places. All This causes the people living in the area to be “frozen in time” since most cities are set back in time as they are small and away from others. This quote, “frozen in time,” maybe interpreted in ways that include their dialect, education level, and poverty. It also means that they are said to be 20 years behind the rest of the country. They are often looked down upon for this and know they are. It is hard to change something that the rest of the country thinks. Individuals outside the area, also known as outsiders to the region, will often never think to take a trip to the Appalachian region. The individuals in the region, especially in small cities, would not think to go out of the area for a vacation. A vacation to them might be the next town over.

Dialect

The dialect is the biggest misconception. One of the significant factors people think they talk differently is mostly from movies and films about the region or setting of the area. This dialect is known in the region and by the people themselves as “mountain-talk.” Many people use this mountain talk to decipher if they are from the area or outsiders. Their vocabulary is so unique that some say they have their own language. A lot of the area’s language has a lot of influence by Scots Irish settlers from Europe. Most of the time, they come up with their own words that sometimes don’t even make sense. Isolation is one of the most significant factors of why their dialect is so different; they have been in the same place the past couple of centuries.

The People

Many individuals outside of this area think they are rude and shellfish, but in reality, they are kind and treat you like a brother no matter who you are. They are all neighbors to each other and help each other in whatever way they can.