West Virginia has endured pervasive poverty throughout its history. With a median per capita income at around $35,000, the state ranks second--after Mississippi--as the poorest in the nation. The people of West Virginia feature as stock characters in jokes referencing poor, uneducated "hillbillies." But within the state, the ruggedly self-sufficient culture that endemic poverty has engendered represents strength and independence--a thing of pride for residents. Most importantly--for the purposes of this project--that natural state of being for West Virginia has acted as a kind of buffer against some of the heartbreak and despair the recession has visited upon wealthier parts of the country. Read More
Christina Davidson is a writer, photographer and book editor based in Washington, DC. She specializes in editing books about national security, terrorism, and war, but writes on a broad array of topics, including the popular frugalicious foodie blog www.feedthemasses.org. She is working on a book based on the Recession Road Trip.