Southern Distinctiveness

Atlanta is unmistakably in the South. The South has long been a distinct region of the United States, with its own culture, history, politics, and religious traditions. Its distinctiveness, many believe, has been shaped by its history of slavery, secession, and defeat in the Civil War. “After the war the South continued to follow a separate historical path marked by uneven economic development, rural poverty, and an entrenched system of white supremacy and racial segregation” (Odem and Lacy 2009, ix-x). Though the region has experienced dramatic changes since the 1960s, with growing job markets and an improved racial climate, brought on by the passing of the civil rights bills and significant economic development and investment, the South remains distinct.

The South holds a definitive place in the history and collective memory of many African Americans, as a place where their roots run deep. Anthropologist Carol Stack (1996) argues that African Americans are drawn to the South by a “call to home.” African Americans have long dominated the South’s black population, and have affected the definition and perception of blackness in the region. In the southern United States, (with the exception of southern Florida), “black” means African American. African Americans have shaped the South’s development and made it distinct from other regions of the country. The South has a distinct black culture characterized by soul food, bass-driven music, and mega churches. The large part of American slavery occurred in the South, resulting in a large proportion of African Americans being located in the South during and after slavery. The region was the center of the Civil Rights Movement, with many of its leaders and activities being based in the region.

The region’s long history of violence and racial discrimination against all people of African descent, however, caused more than 6 million African Americans to move from the South to the North, Midwest, and the West, looking for better quality of living, job opportunities, and freedom. The passage of the Civil Rights bills in the 1960s triggered a new era in the region—a New South that is more tolerant towards African Americans and “outsiders.” The New South has been drawing African Americans, and other migrant newcomers, from all over the world to the region. The influx of non-white newcomers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean into the South has triggered a number of changes to the social landscape of the region and has ushered in a new “New South” era in the 21^st century—that is culturally and racially diverse (Odem and Lacy 2009).