To settle an argument in St. Petersburg, FL. Where does the epithet 'redneck' originate?

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There are TWO origins The Farmers with the sunburned necks, as above AND reference to the common red bandanna worn around their necks, often to protect from sunburn.---No one knows which is the original reason....Show more

The term characterized farmers having a red neck caused by sunburn from hours working in the fields. A citation from 1893 provides a definition as "poorer inhabitants of the rural districts...men who work in the field, as a matter of course, generally have their skin stained red and burnt by the sun, and especially is this true of the back of their necks"....Show more