Essay on Uneven Ground Appalachia Since 1945 - 1291 Words

In Uneven Ground, the author Ronald D. Eller narrates the economic, political, and social change of Appalachia after World War II. He writes â€Å"persistent unemployment and poverty set Appalachia off as a social and economic problem area long before social critic Michael Harrington drew attention to the region as part of the â€Å"other America† in 1962.†(pp.2) Some of the structural problems stated by Eller include problems of land abuse, political corruption, economic shortsightedness, and the loss of community and culture; personally view the economic myopia as being the most daunting. Arguing flaws in the expansion of Appalachia’s postwar economy, Eller responds this led to â€Å"growth without development†. With the coal industry flourishing†¦show more content†¦With new technological advances in machinery the average production of a miner is at a continual rise while the employment of the miners is at a downfall. The â€Å"players† in our region consist of many people ranging from federal agencies to church organizations. Some of them would include Appalachian Volunteers (AV), President’s Appalachian Regional Commission (PARC), Council of the Southern Mountains (CSM), Appalachian Group to Save the Land and People (AGLSP), Appalachian Leadership and Community Outreach (ALCOR), Area Redevelopment Administration (ARA), Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Appalachian Regional Development Act (ARDA), Black Lung Association (BLA), Community Action Agency (CAA), Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), and many more dedicated organizations and individuals contributing and fighting for rights and benefits in our region. These are some of the efforts by our regions â€Å"players†. The Kennedy administration’s efforts to abolish poverty trace the rediscovery of Appalachia by federal policymakers as the sign of underdevelopment in what was known as the â€Å"other America†. Growing on the internal colony model, and with the work of local activists like Whitesburg, Kentucky, native Harry Caudill, the Kennedy administration launched a federal development program in our region. Collaborating with the Conference of Appalachian Governors, the Kennedy administration started an effort to secure funds for