Why is West Virginia So Poor?

West Virginia split from Virginia at the start of the civil war. The hill folks were not interested in fighting for slavery, something they didn’t practice much of in the mines up that way and West Virginia was admitted to the US in 1863. Despite their interesting origins, West Virginia has been a state of severe poverty for its entire history. Pictures of Jack Kennedy campaigning there in 1960 look almost 3rd world with people standing on porches with roofs made of tin and no running water anywhere in sight. Today, West Virginia remains poor, especially now that the coal mines have closed. It is a story of exploitation by mining companies and a people who are passionate about the land they call home.

In this video, we learn why West Virginia remains so poor and what the future might hold for the Mountaineer state.