Republican Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance highlighted his Appalachian roots in his speech at the Republican National Convention. Though his 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” is credited with launching his political career, it has faced significant criticism for demonizing the region’s 26 million residents. Critics argue that Vance’s narrative unfairly generalizes the entire region, overlooks systemic issues, and perpetuates a classist and dehumanizing view that enables ongoing exploitation of Appalachia’s resources.
