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104-595: The usage of the term hillbilly as a descriptor receives mixed perceptions, often in part due to the nature in which it is used. It may be used in in-groups as a point of pride, while others consider its usage derogatory , especially when used as an insult. The first known instances of "hillbilly" in print were in The Railroad Trainmen's Journal (vol. ix, July 1892), an 1899 photograph of men and women in West Virginia labeled "Camp Hillbilly", and

208-614: A lawsuit to acquire access to the McCoy Cemetery which holds the graves of six family members, including five slain during the feud. The McCoys took on a private property owner, John Vance, who had restricted access to the cemetery. In the 2000s, a 500-mile (800 km) all-terrain vehicle trail system, the Hatfield–McCoy Trails , was created around the theme of the feud. On June 14, 2003, in Pikeville, Kentucky ,

312-479: A 1900 New York Journal article containing the definition: "a Hill-Billie is a free and untrammeled white citizen of Alabama , who lives in the hills, has no means to speak of, dresses as he can, talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it, and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him". The stereotype is twofold in that it incorporates both positive and negative traits: "Hillbillies" are often considered independent and self-reliant individuals who resist

416-570: A 2002 historical novel titled The Coffin Quilt , based on a fictionalized account of the feud. In Kurt Vonnegut 's 1976 novel Slapstick , a frontiersman dressed like " Davy Crockett " kills a man charged with conveying a message to the former of the United States because he mistakes him for Newton McCoy. When the frontiersman is asked his name, he replies "Byron Hatfield". In Mark Twain 's 1884 novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ,

520-820: A Family and Culture in Crisis (2016) is a memoir by JD Vance about the Appalachian values of his upbringing and their relationship to the social problems of his hometown, Middletown, Ohio . The book topped The New York Times Best Seller list in August 2016. A family of "Hill People", who are employed as migrant workers on a farm in 1952 Arkansas, have a major role in John Grisham 's book A Painted House , with Grisham trying to avoid stereotypes. Television and film have portrayed "hillbillies" in both derogatory and sympathetic terms. Films such as Sergeant York or

624-428: A company of Pike County Guards during 1862, a group of which attacked and shot Mose Christian Cline, a friend of Devil Anse Hatfield . Although Cline survived his wounds, Anse vowed to retaliate against the responsible parties. Some time in 1863, a group of Confederate Home Guards ambushed and killed Francis as he was leaving his house, and Anse took credit for the deed. Runyon later joined the 39th Kentucky Infantry and

728-517: A frequent gimmick in professional wrestling , usually portrayed as simple but amiable fan favourites . An early example of this character was Whiskers Savage (born Edward Civil, 1899–1967) who was promoted as a "bumpkin" persona as early as 1928. During the 1960s and 1970s, two superheavyweight wrestlers (and frequent tag team partners) Haystacks Calhoun and Man Mountain Mike both portrayed "country boys" in overalls and carrying lucky horseshoes. In

832-508: A fugitive is returned from the asylum state illegally instead of through lawful extradition procedure, no federal law prevents him from being tried. Eventually, the men were tried in Kentucky and all were found guilty. Seven received life imprisonment , while the eighth, Ellison "Cottontop" Mounts, was executed by hanging and buried in an unmarked grave within sight of the gallows. Ellison had tried to retract his confession, stating that he

936-445: A matter of minutes and that such groups can form even on the basis of completely arbitrary and invented discriminatory characteristics, such as preferences for certain paintings. In neurology , there is an established literature about the innate propensity of the human brain to divide the world into us and them valence categories, where the exact membership of the in-group and out-group are socially contingent (hence vulnerable to

1040-413: A member of a West Virginia militia group, as the culprit. The second recorded instance of violence in the feud occurred thirteen years later, in 1878, after a dispute about the ownership of a hog: Floyd Hatfield, a cousin of Anse, owned the hog, but Randolph McCoy claimed it was his, saying that the notches on the pig's ears were McCoy, not Hatfield, marks. The matter was taken to the local Justice of

1144-701: A more comical light in the 1988 horror film The Moonlight Sonata , but the 2010 horror comedy film Tucker & Dale vs. Evil even parodies hillbilly stereotyping. More recently, the TV series Justified (2010–2015) was centered around deputy U. S. Marshal Raylan Givens who was reassigned to his hometown in Harlan, Kentucky where he was in conflict with Boyd Crowder, a drug dealer who had grown up with Raylan. The show's plots often included "hillbilly" tropes such as dimwitted and easily manipulated men, use of homemade drugs, and snake-handling revivalists. "Hillbillies" became

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1248-628: A new school teacher arrives. In 1950, Warner Bros. released a spoof of the Hatfield–McCoy feud titled Hillbilly Hare , featuring Bugs Bunny interacting with members of the "Martin family", obviously a reference to a family in the other famous Kentucky feud, the Rowan County War who had been feuding with the "Coy family". When Bugs Bunny is asked, "Be y'all a Martin or be y'all a Coy rabbit?", Bugs answers, "Well, my friends say I'm very coy!" and laughs. The Martin brothers chase Bugs for

1352-401: A number of people within the region as well as famous persons, such as singer Dolly Parton , chef Sean Brock , and comedian Minnie Pearl . Positive self-identification with the term generally includes identification with a set of "hillbilly values" including love and respect for nature, strong work ethic, generosity toward neighbors and those in need, family ties, self-reliance, resiliency, and

1456-429: A particularly violent "Hillbilly" stereotype that is common in horror films. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie series is thought to have paved the way for the countless horror films featuring deranged and often cannibalistic "Hillbillies" that have since become a staple of the horror genre. Similar "evil hillbilly people"-type have also been seen in

1560-406: A result of "culturally transmitted traumatic stress syndrome". Appalachian scholars say that the large-scale stereotyping has rewritten Appalachian history, making Appalachians feel particularly vulnerable. "Hillbilly" has now become part of Appalachian identity and some Appalachians feel they are constantly defending themselves against this image. The stereotyping also has political implications for

1664-538: A simple lifestyle. However, the term has also been used repeatedly by outsiders to systematically denigrate Appalachian natives and other rural people. To many native Appalachians, an outsider calling them "hillbilly" is highly offensive and the term is one of the oldest epithets in use in the United States. African Banjo Echoes in Appalachia: A Study of Folk Tradition (1995), by Cecelia Conway In-group In social psychology and sociology , an in-group

1768-418: Is a social group to which a person psychologically identifies as being a member. By contrast, an out-group is a social group with which an individual does not identify. People may for example identify with their peer group , family , community , sports team, political party, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or nation. It has been found that the psychological membership of social groups and categories

1872-461: Is a diminutive of 'William' (common across both Britain and Ireland). In time the term hillbilly became synonymous with the Williamites who settled in the hills of North America. Some scholars disagree with this theory. Michael Montgomery's From Ulster to America: The Scotch-Irish Heritage of American English states, "In Ulster in recent years it has sometimes been supposed that [hillbilly]

1976-505: Is an annual festival held in mid-April in Pikeville, Kentucky celebrating the best of Appalachian culture. The event began by local Shriners as a fundraiser to support the Shriners Children's Hospital. It has grown since its beginning in 1976 and now is the second largest festival held in the state of Kentucky. Artists and craftspeople showcase their talents and sell their works on display. Nationally renowned musicians as well as

2080-404: Is associated with a wide variety of phenomena. The terminology was made popular by Henri Tajfel and colleagues beginning in the 1970s during his work in formulating social identity theory . The significance of in-group and out-group categorization was identified using a method called the minimal group paradigm . Tajfel and colleagues found that people can form self-preferencing in-groups within

2184-511: Is called in-group homogeneity. Discrimination between in-groups and out-groups is a matter of favoritism towards an in-group and the absence of equivalent favoritism towards an out-group. Out-group derogation is the phenomenon in which an out-group is perceived as being threatening to the members of an in-group. This phenomenon often accompanies in-group favoritism, as it requires one to have an affinity towards their in-group. Some research suggests that out-group derogation occurs when an out-group

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2288-428: Is evidence that elements of favoritism are flexible in that they can be erased by changes in social categorization. One study in the field of behavioural genetics suggests that biological mechanisms may exist which favor a coexistence of both flexible and essentialist systems. Hatfield%E2%80%93McCoy feud The Hatfield–McCoy Feud involved two American families of the West Virginia – Kentucky area along

2392-474: Is not derived from its dialect . In Scotland, the term "hill-folk" referred to people who preferred isolation from the greater society, and "billy" meant "comrade" or "companion". The words "hill-folk" and "Billie" were combined and applied to the Cameronians who followed the teachings of a militant Presbyterian named Richard Cameron . These Scottish Covenanters fled to the hills of southern Scotland in

2496-414: Is now known as country music . The label, coined in 1925 by country pianist Al Hopkins , persisted until the 1950s. The "hillbilly music" categorization covers a wide variety of musical genres including bluegrass, country, western, and gospel. Appalachian folk song existed long before the "hillbilly" label. When the commercial industry was combined with "traditional Appalachian folksong", "hillbilly music"

2600-426: Is perceived as blocking or hindering the goals of an in-group. It has also been argued that out-group derogation is a natural consequence of the categorization process. People have been shown to be differentially influenced by in-group members. That is, under conditions where group categorization is psychologically salient, people will shift their beliefs in line with in-group social norms . This generally refers to

2704-548: The Ma and Pa Kettle series portrayed the "hillbilly" as wild but good-natured. Television programs of the 1960s such as The Real McCoys , The Andy Griffith Show , and especially The Beverly Hillbillies , portrayed the "hillbilly" as backwards but with enough wisdom to outwit more sophisticated city folk. Gunsmoke 's Festus Haggen was portrayed as intelligent and quick-witted (but lacking "education"). The popular 1970s television variety show Hee Haw regularly lampooned

2808-702: The Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. Many further migrated to the American colonies beginning in the 1730s, and in America became known as the Scots-Irish although this term is inaccurate as they were also of Northern English descent. The term "hillbilly" spread in the years following the American Civil War . At this time, the country was developing both technologically and socially, but

2912-713: The Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River from 1863 to 1891. The Hatfields of West Virginia were led by William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield , while the McCoys of Kentucky were under the leadership of Randolph "Ole Ran'l" McCoy . Those involved in the feud were descended from Joseph Hatfield and William McCoy (born c.  1750 ). The feud has entered the American folklore lexicon as a metonym for any bitterly feuding rival parties. The McCoy family lived primarily on

3016-553: The WWF in the 1980s, Hillbilly Jim , depicted as a protegé of Hulk Hogan , led a faction of "hillbillies" including Uncle Elmer , Cousin Luke and Cousin Junior . "Hillbillies" were at the center of reality television in the 21st century. Network television shows such as The Real Beverly Hillbillies , High Life , and The Simple Life displayed the "hillbilly" lifestyle for viewers in

3120-532: The fusiform face area (FFA), an area of the fusiform gyrus located in the inferior temporal cortex of the brain linked to object and face recognition, when viewing same race faces compared to other race faces. Lower activity in the FFA reflects a failure to encode outgroup members at the individual level rather than the categorical level, which comes at the expense of encoding individuating information. This suggests out-group or unfamiliar faces may not be "faces" with

3224-620: The neurological level, where in-group favoritism and out-group bias occurs very early in perception. This process can begin by simply viewing a person's face. Research indicates that individuals are faster and more accurate at recognizing faces of ingroup vs. outgroup members. For example, researchers in a cross-race recognition study recorded blood oxygenation level-dependent signal (BOLD) activity from black and white participants while they viewed and attempted to remember pictures of unfamiliar black faces, white faces and objects. They found that participants in this study exhibited greater activity in

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3328-503: The "Canfield–McKay feud," a fictionalized version of the Hatfield–McCoy feud. The 1938 Merrie Melodies cartoon A Feud There Was depicts a feud between two backwoods families, called the Weavers and the McCoys. It features Elmer Fudd (an early version before he became a hunter) - trying to put an end to the feuding between the two hillbilly clans. The 1939 Max Fleischer cartoon Musical Mountaineers has Betty Boop wander into

3432-402: The "hillbilly music" label. Originally, "hillbilly" was used to describe fiddlers and string bands , but now it was used to describe traditional Appalachian music. Appalachians had never used this term to describe their own music. Popular songs whose style bore characteristics of both hillbilly and African American music were referred to as hillbilly boogie and rockabilly . Elvis Presley

3536-422: The "hillbilly music" label. While the term is not used as frequently today, it is still used on occasion to refer to old-time music or bluegrass . For example, WHRB broadcasts a popular weekly radio show entitled "Hillbilly at Harvard". The show is devoted to playing a mix of old-time music , bluegrass , and traditional country and western . Many video games feature plots, subplots or characters that utilize

3640-604: The 1880s between the Hatfields and McCoys , the hillbilly stereotype developed in the late 19th to early 20th century. The term "hillbilly" was used by members of the Planter's Protection Association , a tobacco farmers union that formed in the Black Patch region of Kentucky, to refer to non-union scab farmers who did not join the organization. The "classic" hillbilly stereotype reached its current characterization during

3744-535: The 1888 New Year's Night Massacre. Cap and Vance led several members of the Hatfield clan to surround the McCoy cabin and opened fire on the sleeping family. Awakened by the shooting, the McCoys managed to grab their weapons and fired back. The cabin was then set on fire in an effort to drive the McCoys into the open. Panicking, the McCoys rushed to every exit they could find. Randolph managed to escape and hide inside

3848-399: The Appalachian region was falling behind. Before the war, Appalachia was not distinctively different from other rural areas of the country. Post-war, although the frontier pushed farther west, the region retained frontier characteristics. The Appalachian people were perceived as backward, quick to violence, and inbred in their isolation. Fueled by news stories of mountain feuds such as that in

3952-672: The Delmore Brothers followed with their song "Hillbilly Boogie". In 1927, the Gennett studios in Richmond, Indiana , made a recording of black fiddler Jim Booker . The recordings were labeled "made for Hillbilly" in the Gennett files and were marketed to a white audience. Columbia Records had much success with the "Hill Billies" featuring Al Hopkins and Fiddlin' Charlie Bowman . By the late-1940s, radio stations started to use

4056-602: The Grangerfords, an aristocratic Kentuckian family headed by the sexagenarian Colonel Saul Grangerford, take Huck in after he is separated from Jim on the Mississippi. Huck becomes close friends with the youngest male of the family, Buck Grangerford, who is Huck's age. By the time Huck meets them, the Grangerfords have been engaged in an age-old blood feud with another local family, the Shepherdsons. He also becomes

4160-570: The Hatfields in West Virginia. Roseanna eventually returned to the McCoys, but when the couple tried to resume their relationship, Johnse was arrested by the McCoys on outstanding Kentucky bootlegging warrants. He was freed from McCoy custody only when Roseanna made a desperate midnight ride to alert Anse, who organized a rescue party. The Hatfield party surrounded the McCoys and took Johnse back to West Virginia before he could be transported

4264-456: The Hatfields in the small Texas town of Kiowa Flats. In the story arc "Missouri Mish Mash" in season 3 of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends (1961–62), the heroes are drawn into the feud between the "Hatfuls" and the "Floys", unaware that both sides are secretly controlled by their nemesis Boris Badenov . They finally get elected to Congress from the area, and end the feud by responding to their "constitutents"' request to move

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4368-412: The Hatfields in turn: they were tied to pawpaw bushes and each was shot numerous times, with a total of fifty shots fired. Their bodies were described as "bullet-riddled". Soon, another McCoy, the second son of the murdered Asa named Larkin "Lark" McCoy, was ambushed by an alleged West Virginia posse led by the Hatfields. Even though the Hatfields and most inhabitants of the area believed their revenge

4472-566: The Hatfield–McCoy feud. In 1949, the Samuel Goldwyn feature film Roseanna McCoy told a fictionalized version of the romance between the title character, played by Joan Evans , and Johnse Hatfield, played by Farley Granger . The 1949 Screen Songs short "Comin' Round the Mountain" features another thinly disguised caricature of the Hatfield–McCoy feud, with cats (called "Catfields") and dogs ("McHounds") fighting each other, until

4576-583: The Hillbilly stereotype for narrative purposes and cultural signifiers. Some notable examples of this include the Silent Hill video game series, Fallout 3 , Fallout 76 , Dead by Daylight , Grand Theft Auto V , Red Dead Redemption 2 , Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 7 . The hillbilly stereotype is considered to have had a traumatizing effect on some in the Appalachian region. Feelings of shame, self-hatred, and detachment are cited as

4680-686: The Kentucky side of the Tug Fork; the Hatfields lived mostly on the West Virginia side. The majority of the Hatfields, although living in Mingo County (then part of Logan County ), fought for the Confederacy in the American Civil War ; most McCoys also fought for the Confederates, with the exception of Asa Harmon McCoy, who fought for the Union . The first real violence in the feud was

4784-569: The McCoy cousins partnered with Reo Hatfield of Waynesboro, Virginia , to declare an official truce between the families. Reo Hatfield said that he wanted to show that if the two families could reach an accord, others could also. He had said that he wanted to send a broader message to the world that when national security is at risk, Americans put their differences aside and stand united: "We're not saying you don't have to fight because sometimes you do have to fight," he said. "But you don't have to fight forever." Signed by more than sixty descendants during

4888-435: The McCoys. Anse's timbering operation was a source of wealth for his family, while the McCoys were more of a lower-middle-class family. Ole Ran'l owned a 300-acre (120 ha) farm. Both families had also been involved in the manufacturing and selling of illegal moonshine , a popular commodity at the time. Asa Harmon McCoy joined the 45th Kentucky Infantry on October 20, 1863. According to his Compiled Service Records, he

4992-509: The Peace , Anderson "Preacher Anse" Hatfield, who ruled in favor of the Hatfields by the testimony of Bill Staton, a relative of both families. In June 1880, Staton was killed by two McCoy brothers, Sam and Paris, who were later acquitted on the grounds of self-defense . The feud escalated after Roseanna McCoy entered a relationship with Devil Anse's son Johnson, known as "Johnse" (spelled "Jonce" in some sources), leaving her family to live with

5096-480: The United States. This sparked protests across the country with rural-minded individuals gathering to fight the stereotype. The Center for Rural Strategies started a nationwide campaign stating the stereotype was "politically incorrect". The Kentucky-based organization engaged political figures in the movement such as Robert Byrd and Mike Huckabee . Both protestors argued that the discrimination of any other group in United States would not be tolerated, so neither should

5200-445: The banks of the Tug Fork. Two other McCoys, Jake and Larkin, once again attempted to arrest Tom Wallace for the assault on Mary Daniels in August 1887, but he managed to escape from jail; he was found murdered the following year, likely by the McCoys. Larkin "Lark" McCoy was the second son of the murdered Asa McCoy. He too was ambushed and murdered by an alleged West Virginia posse led by the Hatfields. The feud reached its peak during

5304-566: The best of the regional mountain musicians share six different stages located throughout the downtown area of Pikeville. Aspiring hillbillies from across the nation compete to come up with the wildest Hillbilly outfit. The event has earned its name as the Mardi Gras of the Mountains. Fans of "mountain music" come from around the United States to hear this annual concentrated gathering of talent. The term "Hillbilly" has been used with pride by

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5408-534: The city with an "Ozark Hillbilly Medallion" and a certificate proclaiming the honoree a "hillbilly of the Ozarks". On June 7, 1952, President Harry S. Truman received the medallion after a breakfast speech at the Shrine Mosque for the 35th Division Association. Other recipients included US Army generals Omar Bradley and Matthew Ridgway , J. C. Penney , Johnny Olson , and Ralph Story . Hillbilly Days

5512-548: The cultural experiences of Appalachians. Appalachians, like many other groups, do not subscribe to a single identity . One of the issues associated with stereotyping is that it is profitable. When "hillbilly" became a widely used term, entrepreneurs saw a window for potential revenue. They "recycled" the image and brought it to life through various forms of media. The comics portrayed hillbilly stereotypes, notably in two strips, Li'l Abner and Snuffy Smith . Both characters were introduced in 1934. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of

5616-543: The death of Asa as he returned from the war, murdered by a group of Confederate Home Guards called the Logan Wildcats. Devil Anse Hatfield was a suspect at first, but was later confirmed to have been sick at home at the time of the murder. It was widely believed that his uncle, Jim Vance, a member of the Wildcats, committed the murder. The Hatfields were more affluent and had many more political connections than

5720-485: The discrimination against rural U.S. citizens. A 2003 piece published by The Cincinnati Enquirer read, "In this day of hypersensitivity to diversity and political correctness, Appalachians have been a group that it is still socially acceptable to demean and joke about... But rural folks have spoken up and said 'enough' to the Hollywood mockers." Hillbilly music was at one time considered an acceptable label for what

5824-455: The elements, suffered frostbite . The remaining McCoys moved to Pikeville to escape the West Virginia raiding parties. Between 1880 and 1891, the feud claimed more than a dozen members of the two families. On one occasion, the governors of West Virginia and Kentucky even threatened to have their militias invade each other's states. In response, Kentucky Governor S. B. Buckner sent his Adjutant General Sam Hill to Pike County to investigate

5928-454: The environment. Despite the political and social difficulties associated with stereotyping, Appalachians have organized to enact change. The War on Poverty is sometimes considered to be an example of one effort that allowed for Appalachian community organization. Grassroots movements, protests, and strikes are common in the area, though not always successful. The Springfield, Missouri Chamber of Commerce once presented dignitaries visiting

6032-457: The famed feud and includes a marathon and half-marathon (the motto is "no feudin', just runnin'"), in addition to an ATV ride in all three towns. There is also a tug-of-war across the Tug Fork tributary near which the feuding families lived, a live re-enactment of scenes from their most famous fight, a motorcycle ride, live entertainment, Hatfield–McCoy landmark tours, a cornbread contest, pancake breakfast, arts, crafts, and dancing. Launched in 2000,

6136-494: The festival typically attracts thousands with more than 300 runners taking part in the races. In August 2015 members of both families helped archeologists dig for ruins at a site where they believe Randolph McCoy's house was burned. In September 2018, a wooden statue, standing over 8 feet tall, was erected in honor of Randolph McCoy at the McCoy homeplace in Hardy, Kentucky . Carved by chainsaw carver Travis Williams and donated to

6240-550: The festival's founders, said it is unknown where the three signed proclamations will be exhibited and that "the Hatfields and McCoys symbolize violence and feuding and fighting, but by signing this, hopefully people will realize that's not the final chapter." The Hatfield and McCoy Reunion Festival and Marathon are held annually in June on a three-day weekend. The events take place in Pikeville, Kentucky , Matewan, West Virginia , and Williamson, West Virginia . The festival commemorates

6344-534: The feud, is open to tourists year-round. In September 2024, following a shooting on Interstate 75 in Kentucky , the body of the shooter, Joseph Couch was discovered by Fred and Sheila McCoy, who run a museum in Liberty about the feud, the couple found the body while streaming on YouTube . Fred is related to both the Hatfield and McCoy families. The 1923 Buster Keaton comedy Our Hospitality centers on

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6448-632: The feud. This research was compiled in an audio compact disc , the Hatfield–McCoy Feud Driving Tour , which is available only at the Pike County Tourism CVB Visitors Center in Pikeville. The CD is a self-guided driving tour of the restored feud sites and includes maps and pictures as well as the audio CD. The driving tour leads visitors to feud related points of interest including the gravesites of

6552-484: The feudists, the "Hog Trial Cabin", also known as Valentine Hatfield's cabin, Randolph McCoy's homeplace and well in Hardy, Kentucky , Aunt Betty's House and many more sites, some complete with historical markers. Great-great-great-grandsons Bo McCoy and Ron McCoy of feud patriarch Randolph McCoy organized a joint family reunion of the Hatfield and McCoy families in 2000 that garnered national attention. More than 5,000 people attended. In 2002, Bo and Ron McCoy brought

6656-429: The fourth Hatfield–McCoy Festival, the truce was touted as a proclamation of peace, saying "We ask by God's grace and love that we be forever remembered as those that bound together the hearts of two families to form a family of freedom in America." Governor Paul E. Patton of Kentucky and Governor Bob Wise of West Virginia signed proclamations declaring June 14 Hatfield and McCoy Reconciliation Day. Ron McCoy, one of

6760-538: The gallows in Pike County for forty years, and after Ellison, no one ever was again. Of those sent to prison: Fighting between the families eased following the hanging of Mounts. Trials continued for years until the 1901 trial of Johnse, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the New Year's Massacre in the last of the feud trials. In 1979, the families united for a special week's taping of

6864-399: The game, their versions of what transpired were so starkly different it appeared as though they had watched two totally different games. Some may wonder why in-group favoritism takes place, even in arbitrarily assigned groups where group members have nothing in common other than the group to which they were assigned. Research points to unconscious decision-making processes that takes place at

6968-433: The house of Bill Daniels and flogged his wife Mary, sister of Jeff McCoy, who they suspected of warning her brother's family of danger. Jeff McCoy heard of the whipping in 1886 while on the run for the murder of mail carrier Fred Wolford. Infuriated, he and his friend Josiah Hurley set out to capture Tom Wallace and take him to jail in Pikeville, but he escaped them. As Jeff tried to flee, he was shot dead by Cap and Wallace on

7072-496: The instruments of propaganda ), and the intensity exists along a spectrum from mild to complete dehumanization of the " othered " group (such as through pseudospeciation ). The psychological categorization of people into in-group and out-group members is associated with a variety of phenomena. The following examples have all received a great deal of academic attention. This refers to the fact that under certain conditions, people will prefer and have affinity for one's in-group over

7176-613: The late 17th century to avoid persecution for their religious beliefs. Many of the early settlers of the Thirteen Colonies were from Scotland and Northern Ireland and were followers of William of Orange , the Protestant king of England, Ireland and Scotland. In 17th century Ireland, during the Williamite War , Protestant supporters of William III ("King Billy") were referred to as "Billy's Boys" because 'Billy'

7280-473: The modernization of society, but at the same time they are also defined as backward and violent. Scholars argue this duality is reflective of the split ethnic identities in white America. The term's later usage extended beyond solely white communities, exemplified with the "Hispanic hillbillies of northern New Mexico ", in reference to the Hispanos of New Mexico . The term "hillbilly" is Scottish in origin but

7384-567: The murder of Randolph's young daughter Alifair McCoy (sometimes spelled Allaphare), who was killed during the New Year's Massacre. They included Cap, Johnse, Robert and Elliot Hatfield, Ellison Mounts, French Ellis, Charles Gillespie, and Thomas Chambers. Because of issues of due process and illegal extradition , the United States Supreme Court became involved ( Mahon v. Justice , 127 U.S. 700 (1888)). The Supreme Court ruled 7–2 in favor of Kentucky, holding that, even if

7488-418: The next day to the county seat in Pikeville, Kentucky . Despite what was seen as her betrayal of her own family on his behalf, Johnse thereafter abandoned the pregnant Roseanna for her cousin, Nancy McCoy, whom he wed in 1881. The feud continued in 1882 when Ellison Hatfield, brother of Anse, was killed by three of Roseanna's younger brothers: Tolbert, Phamer (Pharmer), and Bud. On an election day in Kentucky,

7592-910: The other side out of the district... not telling that they are doing to both sides. The Flintstones featured a feud between the Hatrocks and the Flintstones in the episode "The Flintstone Hillbillies" (aired January 16, 1964), which was loosely based upon the Hatfield–McCoy feud. They later returned in "The Hatrocks and the Gruesomes" (aired January 22, 1965) where they visit Fred and are shown to dislike bug music. The Hatrock family consist of Jethro Hatrock (voiced by Howard Morris ), Gravella Hatrock (voiced by Bea Benaderet ), Zack Hatrock (voiced by Mel Blanc ), Slab Hatrock (voiced by Howard Morris ), Granny Hatrock (voiced by June Foray in "The Flintstone Hillbillies", Gerry Johnson in "The Hatrocks and

7696-565: The out-group, or anyone viewed as outside the in-group. This can be expressed in one's evaluation of others, linking, allocation of resources, and many other ways. How we perceive the actions of others are also affected by in-group favoritism. People may perceive the same action very differently depending on whether the action was executed by a member of the same group or a member of a different group. In fact, people tend to evaluate actions of their own group or team members much more favorably than those of outgroup members. An illustrative example of

7800-519: The perception that group members are similar to one another. An outcome of this is the out-group homogeneity effect. This refers to the perception of members of an out-group as being homogenous, while members of one's in-group are perceived as being diverse, e.g. "they are alike; we are diverse". This is especially likely to occur in regard to negative characteristics. Under certain conditions, in-group members can be perceived as being similar to one another in regard to positive characteristics. This effect

7904-413: The pig pen. Most of his children managed to escape into the woods. Two of Randolph's children, Calvin and Alifair, were shot and killed near the family well as they exited their home. Randolph's wife, Sarah, was caught, beaten, and almost killed by Vance and Johnse. With his house burning, Randolph and his remaining family members were able to escape farther into the wilderness; his children, unprepared for

8008-432: The popular game show Family Feud , in which they played for a cash prize and a pig which was kept on stage during the games. The McCoy family won the week-long series three games to two. While the Hatfield family won more money – $ 11,272.32 to the McCoys' $ 8,459.53—the decision was made to augment the McCoy family's winnings to $ 11,273.37. Tourists travel to those parts of West Virginia and Kentucky each year to examine

8112-405: The property, this statue had been commissioned by McCoy property owner and Hatfield descendant Bob Scott. The statue was unveiled during Hatfield-McCoy Heritage Days in Pike County, Kentucky, an event that occurs every September that brings Hatfield and McCoy descendants back to Pike County to celebrate the long-standing peace between the families. The McCoy homeplace, like many others associated with

8216-413: The region. There is a sense of "perceived history" that prevents many political issues from receiving adequate attention. Appalachians are often blamed for economic struggles. "Moonshiners, welfare cheats, and coal miners" are stereotypes stemming from the greater hillbilly stereotype in the region. This prejudice has been said to serve as a barrier for addressing some serious issues such as the economy and

8320-498: The relics that remain from the days of the feud. In 1999, a large project known as the "Hatfield and McCoy Historic Site Restoration" was completed, funded by a federal grant from the Small Business Administration . Many improvements to various feud sites were completed. A committee of local historians spent months researching reams of information to find out about the factual history of the events surrounding

8424-477: The rest in Grapevine Creek on January 19. Unfortunately for Philipps, Anse and other Hatfields were waiting for them with an armed group of their own. A battle ensued between the two parties, and the Hatfields were eventually apprehended. A deputy, Bill Dempsey, was wounded and executed by Frank Philipps after they surrendered. On August 24, 1888, eight of the Hatfields and their friends were indicted for

8528-554: The rest of the short and are outwitted by him at every turn. The 1951 Abbott and Costello feature Comin' Round the Mountain features a feud between the Winfields and McCoys. The 2007 movie Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud portrays the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys, but the circumstances of the feud are different. In 2012, Lionsgate Films released a direct-to-DVD film titled Hatfields & McCoys: Bad Blood , starring Jeff Fahey , Perry King , and Christian Slater . This

8632-497: The same intensity as in-group faces. Prior research has also shown that the devaluation and dehumanization of outgroup members is exacerbated when the initial encoding and configural processing of an outgroup face is impeded. So not only does this initial encoding process dehumanize outgroup members, it also contributes to a homogeneity effect, whereby outgroup members are perceived as more similar to each other than ingroup members. Categorization of people into social groups increases

8736-543: The situation. A few days after the New Year's Massacre, a posse led by Pike County Deputy Sheriff Frank Philipps rode out to track down Anse's group across the state line into West Virginia. Two McCoys were members of Philipps' posse, Bud and one of Randolph's sons, James "Jim" McCoy. The posse's first victim was Vance, who was killed in the woods after he refused to be arrested. Philipps then made other successive raids on Hatfield homes and supporters, capturing many and killing another three Hatfield supporters, before cornering

8840-407: The speed of the hand movements. On average participants judged members of their own teams to be faster, although the hand movements were the exact same speed across the board. Similarly, Hastorf and Cantril conducted a pioneering study in 1954, where students of both Princeton and Dartmouth viewed a contentious football game between their two teams. Although they had watched the same motion picture of

8944-454: The stereotypical "hillbilly" lifestyle. A darker negative image of the hillbilly was introduced to another generation in the film Deliverance (1972), based on a novel of the same name by James Dickey , which depicted some "hillbillies" as genetically deficient, inbred , and murderous. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and its sequels has Leatherface and his family, the Sawyers, portray

9048-588: The tendency of groups to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclination of its members, although polarization toward the most central beliefs has also been observed. It has been shown that this effect is related to a psychologically salient in-group and outgroup categorization. In evolutionary psychology , in-group favoritism is seen as an evolved mechanism selected for the advantages of coalition affiliation. It has been argued that characteristics such as gender and ethnicity are inflexible or even essential features of such systems. However, there

9152-689: The territory of the Peters family who are at war with the Hatfields. The 1943 Walter Lantz Swing Symphony cartoon Pass the Biscuits Mirandy! depicts the feud between the Foys and Bartons, basing off from the lyrics of a song of the same title. The 1946 Disney cartoon short The Martins and the Coys in Make Mine Music animated feature was another very thinly disguised caricature of

9256-519: The three McCoy brothers fought a drunken Ellison and another Hatfield brother; Ellison was stabbed 26 times and finished off with a gunshot. The McCoy brothers were initially arrested by Hatfield constables and were taken to Pikeville for trial. Secretly, Anse organized a large group of vigilantes and intercepted the constables and their McCoy prisoners before they reached Pikeville. The brothers were taken by force to West Virginia. When Ellison died from his injuries, all three McCoy brothers were killed by

9360-412: The time were inspired by historical figures such as Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone . The mountaineer image transferred over to the 20th century where the "hillbilly" stereotype emerged. Pop culture has perpetuated the "hillbilly" stereotype. Scholarly works suggest that the media has exploited both the Appalachian region and people by classifying them as "hillbillies". These generalizations do not match

9464-508: The two feuding fathers to a duel when he finds out that "not nary a shot had ever been fired during this feud". Both prove to be cowards in comparison with their courageous children, and the feuding fathers order Andy at gunpoint: "Sheriff, get to marryin'!" In the Bonanza episode "The Gunmen" (season 1, episode 19; aired January 23, 1960) Joe and Hoss were mistaken for two gunmen called Sladeboys that were hired by Mcfadden (McCoy) to take out

9568-416: The unwitting correspondent between two young lovers among the families, an elopement which leads to a battle between the two families and the loss of several lives on both sides. The 1960 episode of "The Andy Griffith Show" titled "A Feud is a Feud" has a Wakefield and a Carter trying to prevent Andy, in his role as Justice of the Peace, from marrying two young lovers on opposite sides of the feud. Andy calls

9672-605: The way this phenomenon takes place can be demonstrated just by arbitrarily assigning a person to a distinct and objectively meaningless novel group; this alone is sufficient to create intergroup biases in which members of the perceiver's own group are preferentially favored. This phenomenon was demonstrated in an empirical study conducted by Molenberghs and colleagues in 2013. In the study, participants were arbitrarily divided into two teams where they watched videos of individuals of competing teams and individuals from their own team perform hand actions. Participants were then asked to judge

9776-676: The years of the Great Depression . The period of Appalachian out-migration, roughly from the 1930s through the 1950s, saw many mountain residents moving north to the Midwestern industrial cities of Chicago , Cleveland , Akron , and Detroit . This movement to Northern society, which became known as the " Hillbilly Highway ", brought these previously isolated communities into mainstream United States culture. In response, poor white mountaineers became central characters in newspapers, pamphlets, and eventually, motion pictures. Authors at

9880-608: Was "captured by Rebels" on December 5, 1863, and was released four months later to a Union hospital in Maryland . At the time of his capture, he was recovering from a gunshot wound to the chest. During the early months of the Civil War, Asa joined a company of the Pike County Home Guards, under the command of Uriah Runyon, and it is thought he sustained the wound while serving in this unit. William Francis also led

9984-501: Was Martha McCoy's brother, is believed to have used his political connections to reinstate the charges and announced rewards for the Hatfields' arrests as an act of revenge. A few years prior, Cline had lost a lawsuit against Anse over the deed to thousands of acres of land, subsequently increasing the hatred between the two families. Days after the killing of the Scotts, acting constable Cap Hatfield and family friend Tom Wallace broke into

10088-493: Was a prominent player of rockabilly and was known early in his career as the "Hillbilly Cat". When the Country Music Association was founded in 1958, the term hillbilly music gradually fell out of use. The music industry merged hillbilly music, Western swing , and Cowboy music , to form the current category C&W, Country and Western . Some artists (notably Hank Williams ) and fans were offended by

10192-481: Was another thinly-disguised fictional version of the conflict. Members of the Hatfield clan appear in Manly Wade Wellman 's 1957 short story Old Devlins Was A-Waiting alongside fictional great-grandchildren of both the Hatfields and McCoys. The Lucky Luke adventure Les Rivaux de Painful Gulch (The Rivals of Painful Gulch) from 1962 was inspired by the Hatfield–McCoy feud. Ann Rinaldi authored

10296-606: Was coined to refer to followers of King William III and brought to America by early Ulster emigrants, but this derivation is almost certainly incorrect. ... In America hillbilly was first attested only in 1898, which suggests a later, independent development." The Appalachian Mountains were settled in the 18th century by settlers primarily from England, lowland Scotland, and the province of Ulster in Ireland . The settlers from Ulster were mainly Protestants who migrated to Ireland from Lowland Scotland and Northern England during

10400-529: Was formed. Some argue this is a "High Culture" issue where sophisticated individuals may see something considered "unsophisticated" as "trash". In the early-20th century, artists began to utilize the "hillbilly" label. The term gained momentum due to Ralph Peer , the recording director of OKeh Records , who heard it being used among Southerners when he went down to Virginia to record the music and labeled all Southern country music as so from then on. The York Brothers entitled one of their songs "Hillbilly Rose" and

10504-499: Was innocent and that he had only confessed because he expected leniency, but his retraction was denied. Thousands attended his hanging in Pikeville, but though the scaffold was in the open, its base was fenced in to comply with laws that had been passed which prohibited public executions. The hanging site is the current location of a classroom building of the present-day University of Pikeville . With his last words, Ellison claimed that: "The Hatfields made me do it." No one had been sent to

10608-479: Was killed near his home on January 7, 1865, just thirteen days after leaving the Union Army . A group of Confederate guerrillas took credit for the killing, and his wife's pension application states that he was "killed by Rebels". There are no existing records pertaining to his death, and no warrants were issued in connection with the murder. McCoy family tradition points to James "Jim" Vance, an uncle of Anse and

10712-510: Was killed on May 7, 1864, in Pike County, Kentucky. His Compiled Service Records say "Killed by Rebels". On muster rolls beginning on May 6, 1864, Asa is reported in a Lexington hospital, suffering from a leg fracture. Beginning in December 1864, the 45th Kentucky Infantry began mustering its companies out of service. Asa's Company E was mustered out on December 24, 1864, in Ashland . He

10816-417: Was warranted, up to about twenty men, including Anse, were indicted. All of the Hatfields eluded arrest; this angered the McCoy family, who took their cause up with Perry Cline. Upon hearing of the meeting, Anse resolved to stop Randall and sent gunmen to ambush Randall and his son Calvin, but the gunmen killed Randall's nephews John and Henderson Scott instead after mistaking them for their targets. Cline, who

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