The Introduction and Spread of Kudzu in Georgia

Authors

Ingrid E. Baker, Kennesaw State UniversityFollow
Albert WayFollow

Name of Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Albert Way

Faculty Sponsor Email

away5@kennesaw.edu

Author Bio(s)

Ingrid Baker is currently a junior at Kennesaw State University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in philosophy. She is a member of both the History Club and the Student Philosophy Association at KSU. Her historical interests involve the intersection of agriculture, class, and culture in the American South.

Publication Date

2024

Abstract

Kudzu’s popularity in Georgia was born of necessity; the economic ravages of the Great Depression together with persistent soil erosion and depletion had left Georgia’s farmers in need of a thrifty solution. Kudzu’s nitrogen-enriching leguminous properties, along with its success as an inexpensive grazing crop, made it an attractive solution to Georgia’s agricultural woes. Channing Cope, through his radio program and regular contributions to the Atlanta Constitution, was among kudzu’s most ardent defenders. Cope’s charisma and enthusiasm helped to popularize the vine among farmers and laymen alike. At the federal level, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) financially incentivized farmers to plant kudzu, and in doing so further popularized the plant. The personal and governmental forces in favor of kudzu’s use (represented by Cope and the SCS, respectively) are then responsible for the vine’s wild success—and ultimate downfall—in the state of Georgia.