While the history of the Appalachian region has been marked by a history of deep poverty and disappointment, economic development has begun to shift the balance in its favor. In Cincinnati, for example, 80 percent of Appalachian women work outside the home. Many are employed as teachers, nurses, social workers, and other health care professionals. Others have found regular employment and have joined unions. Some, however, are working poor, or are simply slipping into the urban underclass.
Located in southeastern Kentucky, Booneville is a city of the former coal industry. Booneville is home to an almost all-white population and is the county seat of Owsley County. This community has a long history of health disparities and one of the highest rates of respiratory disease in the United States. This is a community of hope, but one that's reluctant to accept change.
Today, Appalachian neighborhoods are dotted with Baptist and Pentecostal churches and hillbilly bars. Residents of these neighborhoods are known for their mountain-eer accents. In addition to these establishments, you can find body shops and shade-tree mechanics. During the last decade, the region has become a center for business. Unlike the rest of the nation, Appalachia has largely maintained its traditional neighborhood structures.
The population of Owsley County peaked at 8,957 people in 1940. Today, the population is about half of what it was in the 1940s, and many young people are still migrating to urban centers. Lowell Morris, 68 years old, wears denim overalls, work boots, and a camouflage hat with Kentucky and blue peaks. He also sports glasses and a beard.