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Redneck is a derogatory term for poor white farmers in the southern US, originating from sunburn on the neck. The term has been used to slander economically challenged groups, but some view it with pride. The term has evolved over time, with some seeing it as a sign of self-determination and individual freedom. However, in the 1970s, it took on a derogatory meaning for anyone deemed unsophisticated. Comedian Jeff Foxworthy popularized the term in the 1990s. Some believe rednecks are a distinct cultural group, while others see it as a derogatory label.
Redneck is a pejorative slang term for poor white farmers in rural, primarily southern United States. The term originates from the idea that farmers often worked outdoors, in bent positions, which caused sunburn on the neck. This literally creates a red neck. Usage of the word in this sense appears in records written in the 1830s. The term has a mixed history: some view the phrase as derogatory, while others view such categorization with pride. The origin of the term certainly began as a derogatory one.
After the American Civil War, which lasted from 1861 to 1865, many small Southern farms faced difficult economic times. Those who have a hard time surviving have often been categorized by various pejorative and derogatory labels such as crackers, white trash, poor white trash, and rednecks. These terms have been used to slander this economically challenged group and mark them as below other economic and social people.
In the 19th century, there was a shift in how terms like redneck were used. The word redneck, in particular, was no longer seen simply as slander, but as a sign of pride. Among those who shared this sentiment, he represented someone who believed in self-determination and individual freedom.
In the 1970s, the term again took on a derogatory meaning as it was used to label anyone deemed unsophisticated or intellectually inferior. Some blame the mass media for spreading the derogatory stereotype of an anachronistic rural farmer, which is completely at odds with urban life and modernity. The stereotype, however, no longer applied just to southern US farmers, but to anyone from anywhere. Although today someone is more likely to be labeled or identified as a redneck if he lives in a rural area.
American comedian Jeff Foxworthy is considered by many to be partially responsible for the widespread use of the word redneck in popular culture. In 1993, he released a comedy album titled You Might Be a Redneck If…, which started something of a redneck fad in the United States. His comedy genre, centered on the working class, generally appeals to the common man.
Some believe that rednecks are a real cultural entity that has been the subject of ethnic satire that has besmirched the true identity of the group. These people feel that the group is in danger of being nothing more than a stereotype and a derogatory label, rather than a distinct group with a set of beliefs. Proponents argue that rednecks are no longer bound by geographical boundaries but are now defined by their shared belief in a particular way of life. This is said to be one who eschews suburban and urban life for hard work in small towns or rural areas and includes a passion for freedom and self-determination.
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