[HowDeDo]

It seems this term is often comes up when discussing the South , and in particular States such as Alabama, Georgia, and a couple others. Does anyone have any insight as to its origination and description ? Im curious. Thanks.

[Hollytree]

Red neck simply means sunburn on the neck. It's when someone does manual labor out in the fields, etc

[HowDeDo]

Originally Posted by Hollytree

Red neck simply means sunburn on the neck. It's when someone does manual labor out in the fields, etc

It seems whenever the term is used, its to describe a person or group who is very rebellious and gets into fights. (What most people would call Punks). Have you heard the term used in this context at all ? thanks.

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by HowDeDo

It seems whenever the term is used, its to describe a person or group who is very rebellious and gets into fights. (What most people would call Punks). Have you heard the term used in this context at all ? thanks.

I will admit I'm a born and raised southerner and I am also guilty of labelling certain people as "rednecks". It's usually the guys who drive four wheel drive trucks and always wear camouflage and dip Skoal. These types exist in every state, not just southern states.

[HowDeDo]

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

I will admit I'm a born and raised southerner and I am also guilty of labelling certain people as "rednecks". It's usually the guys who drive four wheel drive trucks and always wear camouflage and dip Skoal. These types exist in every state, not just southern states.

Yes, i agree with you ; but im wondering how people working in the fields and getting sunburned on the neck .... made a leap to what you described above (?) Its not a big issue...im just curious . By the way, im a Northerner but not for long cause im moving to either Alabama or Florida ; and, since i work outside , im a ... (you guessed it) , a fella with a red neck ! But i dont think ill graduate to a 4 wheel truck though...lol...

[harry chickpea]

There is likely more than one source of the word, which adds to the confusion.

First, remember the Louisiana territory was bought from the French. The early European settlers of the deep south were the rich French who had been given land grants. There were a few migrations to the south after initial settlement, among which were the Acadians kicked out of Canada and the New England area, who became the Cajuns - held in lower esteem than the gentried original French landowners, and the poor immigrant Scottish and Irish, who populated a lot of Appalachia and worked their way further south and were held in lower esteem by just about everyone who hadn't seen their rifle skills.

Those Irish and Scots who had to work outside in the fields (too poor and not inclined to own slaves because of religious reasons) would obviously have been more prone to get red necks than people who came from less northern climes, and the core of the word redneck was probably around early on.

The fleshing out of the word comes from the fights between the coal miners and the big coal companies. A lot of the miners in Appalachia were - you guessed it - of Irish and Scottish descent. When the unions began to have all out war with the coal company owners, the goons, and the paid off local law enforcement officers, the coal miners and sympathizers distinguished themselves in battle and as pro-union warriors by wearing red bandannas. They proudly went by the term of redneck.

Needless to say, the judges, law enforcement, mine owners, "civilized" society, and extreme right-wing element hooked into the term as a derogatory label for those uneducated, low life, communist troublemakers who had the audacity to literally kill their masters and oppressors.

The coal wars are a part of American history that has been brushed under the carpet so successfully that most schools don't teach about them, except as a passing line or two when describing the excesses of robber barons, and then quickly moving on to the generosity of Andrew Carnegie and his singlehanded crusade for education and free libraries.

You can educate yourself on the net, and see how the coal wars extended into the 1960s and 1970s by watching the docu-drama Matawan. As interesting as the film are the user comments on it. Take some time to read through a dozen or more and you'll get a common history.

Matewan (1987) - IMDb user comments

One great aspect of the film is the documentary feel of it. I was once at a screening where Haskell Wexler was available for questions after the show. The audience of wanna-be film-makers was in awe of his skill, which makes the uninitiated believe the film is a complete documentary. Totally off topic trivia, some of those same film-makers in the audience went on to make "The Blair Witch Project," which took his documentary feel in a whole different direction.

In an odd juxtaposition, the major battle of the coal miners against the government forces was the battle of Blair mountain. Wikipedia has a pretty accurate summary of the battle, including the chilling "On orders from the famous General Billy Mitchell, Army bombers from Maryland were also used to disperse the miners. A combination of gas and explosive bombs left over from the fighting in World War I were dropped in several locations near the towns of Jeffery, Sharples and Blair. At least one did not explode and was recovered by the miners. This famous ordinance was used months later with great affect during the famous treason and murder trials arising from the battle. This heinous act would prove beyond the shadow of doubt the first and only use of Air Power by the United Stated federal government against its own citizens."
(FWIW, there have been other uses of aspects of air power by the government against citizens, just none as major, and not from the military, which is not legally allowed to operate in such a capacity.)
Battle of Blair Mountain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

With the history of the word redneck, you can perhaps now understand the various connotations and subtleties of inflection. Of course, anyone younger than 40 likely only knows the gloss of Jeff Foxworthy and "You might be a redneck if..."

Now you've got me feeling like James Burke.

[Hollytree]

Just discovered another possible origin:
In1881 Budweiser beer was cautioning buyers to only purchase the original Budweiser bearing the redneck label and the US trademark.

So now we have sunburned coal miners of Irish & Scottish origins (pro Union) sympathizers who drank beaucoup beer -
Sounds like a redneck!

[MullinsCurve]

Originally Posted by Hollytree

Red neck simply means sunburn on the neck. It's when someone does manual labor out in the fields, etc

That is what I have always assumed it to be, a derisive term used by city dwellers to describe their more rural countrymen, who acquired a red/tanned neck from laboring in the fields. This, at a time when fair skin was the sign of a less labor-intensive lifestyle enjoyed by certain wealthier segments of the population. It seems to have lately morphed into an all emcompassing term to describe anyone from the South who does not subscribe to the lifestyle of the "more progressive" parts of the nation.

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

I will admit I'm a born and raised southerner and I am also guilty of labelling certain people as "rednecks". It's usually the guys who drive four wheel drive trucks and always wear camouflage and dip Skoal. These types exist in every state, not just southern states.

I view the term redneck far more finitely and don't limit it to just persons who drive a 4WD truck, wear camo and dip snuff. I generally assign the term to those who take no pride in themselves or their accomplishments. It has little bearing on their apprearance or what they own, but more in their general outlook in life. I think my Grandmother would have most likely described them as "sorry". They generally do not see the value in getting an education nor in holding a job for any length of time and their lifestyle is reflective of this attitude, as they bounce from one house trailer to the other, always staying just ahead of the repo man.

Please do not confuse country people/farmers/sportsmen/etc with rednecks, they are not the same. The former take pride in themselves, their homes, education and family reputation within the community, while the latter do not. The former may not be as well off fanancially or not as interested in wearing the current styles or having the latest gadget, but they are productive, patriotic, sober members of society, who pay their bills and very likely live on the same land that their great-grandparents owned.

And as you said, rednecks can be found most anywhere and are not confined to the rural citizenery of the Southern US. I used have a coworker that was from upstate New York. He said Southern rednecks couldn't hold a candle to the rednecks that lived in a neighboring state that I will not name.

[HowDeDo]

Originally Posted by Hollytree

Just discovered another possible origin:
In1881 Budweiser beer was cautioning buyers to only purchase the original Budweiser bearing the redneck label and the US trademark.

So now we have sunburned coal miners of Irish & Scottish origins (pro Union) sympathizers who drank beaucoup beer -
Sounds like a redneck!

Thats a good one ! ha ha...

[HowDeDo]

Originally Posted by MullinsCurve

That is what I have always assumed it to be, a derisive term used by city dwellers to describe their more rural countrymen, who acquired a red/tanned neck from laboring in the fields. This, at a time when fair skin was the sign of a less labor-intensive lifestyle enjoyed by certain wealthier segments of the population. It seems to have lately morphed into an all emcompassing term to describe anyone from the South who does not subscribe to the lifestyle of the "more progressive" parts of the nation.



I view the term redneck far more finitely and don't limit it to just persons who drive a 4WD truck, wear camo and dip snuff. I generally assign the term to those who take no pride in themselves or their accomplishments. It has little bearing on their apprearance or what they own, but more in their general outlook in life. I think my Grandmother would have most likely described them as "sorry". They generally do not see the value in getting an education nor in holding a job for any length of time and their lifestyle is reflective of this attitude, as they bounce from one house trailer to the other, always staying just ahead of the repo man.

Please do not confuse country people/farmers/sportsmen/etc with rednecks, they are not the same. The former take pride in themselves, their homes, education and family reputation within the community, while the latter do not. The former may not be as well off fanancially or not as interested in wearing the current styles or having the latest gadget, but they are productive, patriotic, sober members of society, who pay their bills and very likely live on the same land that their great-grandparents owned.

And as you said, rednecks can be found most anywhere and are not confined to the rural citizenery of the Southern US. I used have a coworker that was from upstate New York. He said Southern rednecks couldn't hold a candle to the rednecks that lived in a neighboring state that I will not name.

Very well put ; I think your Grandmother had it all figured out pretty well. Ive never heard of a 'New York Redneck' though ! I think you have to be from the deep South to be a genuine honorary Redneck !...lol...