The Long Arc of the ARC

Fifty-seven years ago President Lyndon Johnson visited Martin County, Kentucky, to launch his “War on Poverty.” He formed the Appalachian Regional Commission to help address the poverty and lack of basic services in the poorest parts of the area. Today, Martin County still has some of the country’s worst poverty and residents say they can’t rely on their water system. Host Jeff Young talks with renowned historian and author Ron Eller about the Appalachian Regional Commission and why it has fallen short of its goals. And reporter Curtis Tate tells us about the Commission’s newest leader, Gayle Manchin of West Virginia.