The United States is polarized as never before in modern history. If Americans agree on anything these days, it’s that. Amid this ongoing cultural strife, the urban-rural divide is ground zero. Non-urban, working-class Americans, once considered prototypical citizens, are routinely condescended to and dismissed by their urban, white-collar counterparts. As collateral damage, the rich heritage of these regions outside the major cities risks historical oblivion.
Author and Project Director Mary Eberstadt and her team propose to address both pressing national problems via an ambitious new multidimensional writing and media venture,“Remembering Upstate New York: Recovery and Redemption in America’s Historical Heart.”
The virtues of rural America and the luminousness of its history are being eclipsed. On one side, the realities of the Rust Belt, the opioid crisis, and other setbacks have focused attention on the pathologies of today’s heartland to the exclusion of its virtues and historical riches. In the popular culture, and elsewhere, people outside the coastal zones are mocked for their supposedly retrograde opinions, their allegiance to football and country music, their stubborn attachment to religion, and more.
This caricature persists no matter which party has the upper hand in Washington, D.C. At times, the disdain of national leaders for the people in “flyover country” has been palpable, with rural citizens disparaged as “deplorables” who “cling to their guns and religion.”
The problem is familiar. But creative attempts at solutions so far have gone missing.
Stage One of this project, 2025-2026, will consist of on-site research, extensive essays, and other writings that bring to life some of upstate New York’s actual human residents, their non-caricatured lives, and the quintessentially American past in which they are rooted.
Stage Two, from 2027-2028 onward, will bring some of those same stories to public attention via widely disseminated appearances, serial lectures, publications, and other media events. These will include theatrical life on stage and screen in collaboration with local theaters, colleges and universities, and other on-site venues.
Your support is vital in helping us bring these inspirational stories to light. Whether through donations or joining our newsletter, you can play an integral role in preserving the history and heritage of Upstate New York. Stay informed about upcoming events, research milestones, and ways to get involved with our mission.
JOIN NEWSLETTER
