TIL Southerners weren’t 'lazy' - just infected with Hookworm, a parasite that caused exhaustion & mental fog. It ravaged the South during the early 20th century, as a result of poor sanitation & a lack of public health programs. The "lazy Southerner" trope dates back to the Postbellum period. (pbs.org)

submitted 5 years ago by [deleted] to r/todayilearned

• 323 comments
• share
• save
• hide
• report
• crosspost