Monique Truong and the New Southern Gothic
Truong’s second novel, Bitter in the Mouth, expands the region and the meaning of “the South” in contemporary literature.
Coming Up Kudzu
Employed as a symbol of the American South or used as shorthand for unchecked growth, kudzu has demonstrated a tenacity beyond all imagination.
Early Mexican Immigrants Blurred Color Lines in the Southern U.S.
In the 1920s, Mexican immigrants to the United States challenged the country's notions of who was white and who was not.
The History of the History of American Slavery
In an age when the White House is being asked if slavery was a good or bad thing, perhaps we should take a look at the history of the history of slavery.
The Dangers of Gone With The Wind‘s Romantic Vision of the Old South
Writer Margaret Mitchell was born on November 8th, 1900, at the beginning of a new century. Her novel Gone ...
Automation in the 1940s Cotton Fields
Automation is a bit of a Rorschach test for anyone interested in workers’ rights. In the 1940s, the mechanization of cotton farming changed the US economy.
Women Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement
Women leaders of the Civil Rights movement worked under the triple constraints of gender, race, and class. Their contribution hasn't gotten its due.
What Life Was Really Like for “Southern Belles” During the Civil War
What life was like for southern belles.
Rednecks: A Brief History
What is a "redneck" exactly? Kelli Marshall explores a brief history of the word.