IV. Class // Richwood, West Virginia

 

Richwood, West Virginia, defies expectations. This small town of 2,000 is situated deep in the Appalachian Mountains and is home to numerous logging operations. Approximately one-third of the households live at or below the poverty line. We must admit, as a team making a documentary about diversity issues, we were uncertain about how our visit would go when we drove in to see residents flying confederate flags. What we found, however, were interesting, open-minded, and kind people, who had encountered more than their fair share of hardships. For example, floods ravaged Richwood in 2016, leaving the town struggling to maintain its quality schools, which had previously graduated more than 90 percent of students.