On this West Virginia Morning, for some, The Hatfield and McCoy Feud has become synonymous with the type of mischaracterization of Appalachians that we’d like to leave behind. Full of bloodshed and revenge, a New York Times article in 1896 referred to the Hatfields and McCoys as having an “utter disregard of human life.” The fact that the families got their income from illegal moonshining has also been used to discredit them as outlaws.
An episode of the PBS’s documentary TV show American Experience explores the complicated history surrounding the feud- and the lasting impact it had on Appalachia’s identity. Inside Appalachia host Jessica Lilly recently spoke about the documentary with the writer, Randall MacLowry.
Also on today’s show, West Virginia has the opportunity to take advantage of a growing audience for heritage tourism, according to participants of a meeting held recently in eastern Kanawha County. Eric Douglas has more.
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