A People's History of Poverty in America (New Press People's History)

A sweeping, revelatory history of poverty in America from the nineteenth century to today, told through the eyes and experiences of the poor themselves. "When you live in a shelter, other people control your life. They tell you when you may come in and when you must go out. They tell you when you can take your shower and when you can wash your clothing." —from A People's History of Poverty and Welfare in America In this compulsively readable social history, a brilliant new addition to The New Press's acclaimed People's History series, political scientist Stephen Pimpare vividly describes poverty from the perspective of poor and welfare-reliant Americans from the big city to the rural countryside. He focuses on how the poor have created community, secured shelter, and found food and illuminates their battles for dignity and respect. Through prodigious archival research and lucid analysis, Pimpare details the ways in which charity and aid for the poor have been inseparable, more often than not, from the scorn and disapproval of those who would help them. In the rich and often surprising historical testimonies he has collected from the poor in America, Pimpare overturns any simple conclusions about how the poor see themselves or what it feels like to be poor—and he shows clearly that the poor are all too often aware that charity comes with a price. It is that price that Pimpare eloquently questions in this book, reminding us through powerful anecdotes, some heart-wrenching and some surprisingly humorous, that poverty is not simply a moral failure. **A sweeping, revelatory history of poverty in America from the nineteenth century to today, told through the eyes and experiences of the poor themselves.**__"When you live in a shelter, other people control your life. They tell you when you may come in and when you must go out. They tell you when you can take your shower and when you can wash your clothing."____A People's History of Poverty and Welfare in America__ In this compulsively readable social history, a brilliant new addition to The New Press's acclaimed People's History series, political scientist Stephen Pimpare vividly describes poverty from the perspective of poor and welfare-reliant Americans from the big city to the rural countryside. He focuses on how the poor have created community, secured shelter, and found food and illuminates their battles for dignity and respect. Through prodigious archival research and lucid analysis, Pimpare details the ways in which charity and aid for the poor have been inseparable, more often than not, from the scorn and disapproval of those who would help them. In the rich and often surprising historical testimonies he has collected from the poor in America, Pimpare overturns any simple conclusions about how the poor see themselves or what it feels like to be poor—and he shows clearly that the poor are all too often aware that charity comes with a price. It is that price that Pimpare eloquently questions in this book, reminding us through powerful anecdotes, some heart-wrenching and some surprisingly humorous, that poverty is not simply a moral failure. "When you live in a shelter, other people control your life. They tell you when you may come in and when you must go out. They tell you when you can take your shower and when you can wash your clothing."—from A People's History of Poverty and Welfare in America

In this compulsively readable social history, a brilliant new addition to The New Press's acclaimed People's History series, political scientist Stephen Pimpare vividly describes poverty from the perspective of poor and welfare-reliant Americans from the big city to the rural countryside. He focuses on how the poor have created community, secured shelter, and found food and illuminates their battles for dignity and respect.

Through prodigious archival research and lucid analysis, Pimpare details the ways in which charity and aid for the poor have been inseparable, more often than not, from the scorn and disapproval of those who would help them. In the rich and often surprising historical testimonies he has collected from the poor in America, Pimpare overturns any simple conclusions about how the poor see themselves or what it feels like to be poor—and he shows clearly that the poor are all too often aware that charity comes with a price. It is that price that Pimpare eloquently questions in this book, reminding us through powerful anecdotes, some heart-wrenching and some surprisingly humorous, that poverty is not simply a moral failure.

"In A People's History of Poverty in America, political scientist Stephen Pimpare brings these lives and stories to the foreground, vividly describing poverty and welfare as poor and welfare-reliant Americans experience it, from the big city to the rural countryside. Through prodigious research Pimpare has unearthed rich, poignant, and often surprising testimonies and powerful accounts--both heartwrenching and humorous--that range from the early days of the United States to the complex social and economic terrain of the present."--Jacket Content: Introduction : the indignant poor and the constants of relief -- Survive : my brother's keeper -- Sleep : a place to call home -- Eat : dumpster diving -- Work : (in)dependence -- Love : women and children first -- Respect : the price of relief -- Escape : black and blue -- Surrender : a culture of poverty? -- Resist : bread or blood -- Epilogue : poor math. Introduction : the indignant poor and the constants of relief Survive : my brother's keeper Sleep : a place to call home Eat : dumpster diving Work : (in)dependent Love : women and children first Respect : the price of relief Escape : black and blue Surrender : a culture of poverty? Resist : bread or blood Epilogue : poor math. A comprehensive report on poverty from the perspectives of poor and welfare-reliant Americans analyzes the country's charity and aid systems, illuminates the struggles of the underprivileged for survival and respect, and shares anecdotal observations about how the poor view themselves. 12,500 first printing.