1920s - 1930s
Appalachian women in work |
Appalachia has a reputation in America. The narrative surrounding the people of the mountains is shaped by Hollywood movies and stereotypes that perpetude ignorance and poverty. The idea of the “backwoods hillbilly” evokes fear and disdain that continues to influence the perception of Appalachian people. It should be noted, however, that the culture of the mountain creates an environment that operates independently from other factors in American society, a phenomenon that is especially prominent during the Great Depression. The autonomy of Appalachia was affected differently during the stock market crash of 1929, which crippled the United States’ economy until 1939. The subsistence farming and gathering that took place within families, mixed with the isolation of the mountains, created unique communities interdependent on each other for survival. Women especially developed roles within the family and mountain society that diverged from the norms of a traditional nuclear family. The social, and economic differences in Appalachia created a unique vacuum for women in work to participate and evolve during the Great Depression.
"Fanny Corbin, the mother of twenty-two children" Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (Library of Congress, 1935)