Intersectionality: Exploring The Concept Of Southern Identity

The Southern United States is a very interesting place, full of culture and history, such as the Civil War battlefields or the antique shops that you see along the side of the road as you drive through this beautiful part of the United States. It has many different characteristics and many different special things that make it unique. Globalization and Identity, Ethnicity, Religion, The Social Construction of Race, Gender Roles, Class, Places and Spaces (Regional Identity) , and Linguistic Diversity in the south are all topics that I will discuss in this essay.

What is unique about the southern culture? The southern culture is unlike any other, it possesses a very diverse group with many different, ethnic communities, and religions. While still binding them all together with one common thread, their heritage. Even with all the differences, southerners embrace each other, reaching across the lines of color, religion, or social standing. Going the extra mile to help someone in need, even if they aren’t family, or a close friend.

Imagine a historian, author of an award-winning dissertation and several books. He is an experienced lecturer and respected scholar; he is at the forefront of his field. His research methodology sets the bar for other academicians. He is so highly esteemed, in fact, that an article he has prepared is to be presented to and discussed by the United States’ oldest and largest society of professional historians. These are precisely the circumstances in which Ulrich B. Phillips wrote his 1928 essay, “The Central Theme of Southern History.” In this treatise he set forth a thesis which on its face is not revolutionary: that the cause behind which the South stood unified was not slavery, as such, but white supremacy. Over the course of

In the 1930’s there was a lot of racial tensions and expectations for southern culture. Things are different now than they were back then like the culture, but especially gender roles in the south.

Traditional views of the Antebellum South oftentimes ignore class divides within the American South. African-Americans and Whites are oftentimes viewed as being divided by race with all Whites and African-Americans being equal. However these ideals ignore the seventy-five percent of southerners which did not own slaves and the steep divides between African-American slaves with different roles. Primary sources from authors who experienced the Antebellum South, the American Civil War, and, or Reconstruction alert their audiences to societal divides which existed within each perceived race. Following the abolishment of slavery, economic class divides among whites were mitigated and whites view of African-Americans became standardized. Whites began to only recognize African-American as a rival to their power in all capacities, and as such vilified all African-Americans.

In the Antebellum South, physician practices were often questioned for their veracity, and were frequently disregarded by both the slave owners and slaves themselves. Therefore, slaves and masters typically received medical care from the herb and root doctors living within the plantation’s boundaries. These specialty doctors were normal slaves, however, they had intimate knowledge of roots and herbs that helped cure certain diseases. Along with their practices being less painful than the cupping, leeching, lancing, and mercuralizing that a typical physician would perform, root and herb doctors were the primary medical practitioner to consult for an illness (Kiple 1-2). The incapability to trust physician’s practices forced slaves to deal with

My closing thoughts on the Confederate Flag. I feel that the future of this debate, if there is one, depends highly upon how well we understand history. When I look at history and the intricate relationships that formed the Confederate flag and what it represented at that time, I cannot help but to synthesize a conclusion that symbolism is both a powerful yet potentially dangerous motivator, in this case good or bad, you decide. The simple thought of symbolism and its implications from a bygone era contemporaneous with the emergence of divergence among millions of Americans is as powerful today as it was when slavery began. This is another area where even I have to admit, I did not know the full truth, and slavery came about long before racism.

When a self-proclaimed white supremist gunned down 9 members of a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, last week, more than just racial violence once again entered the national spotlight. Among those slain was the church's beloved pastor, Clementa Pinckney. Pinckney was also a Democratic state senator who served as such since 2000.

The city of Greenwood, Mississippi was founded in 1830 by John Williams also known as Williams Landing. In 1844 Greenwood was initially named after Choctaw Chief Greenwood Leflore. Greenwood, Mississippi is also known as the heart of the Mississippi Delta. The city of Greenwood is well known for being rich in vegetation and wildlife. Greenwood has also been known for having lots of cotton and is known for being the cotton market. Being known for cotton, Greenwood was named “The Cotton Capital of the World. Prior to the Civil War Greenwood shipped cotton throughout New Orleans, Louisiana, Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri.

Many people are now asking the question “Should the United States ban the Confederate flag because of a shooting incident that is causing a ton of controversy. Yes the banning of the flag is a good reaction to the recent shooting that happened in South Carolina. The assailant wanted was trying to start a race war by murdering nine people while showing his confederate opinion. Many people still feel the pain of the past because the south justified what they did when they used the flag. While some people are celebrating if it comes down, others are protesting its removal. Many people still support the flag because of what it truly represented and not what people think it represents. The state’s decision to take down the flag is the right one, not only because of the shooting that happened, but also because of the history it carries.

I need help trying to understand this event in Virginia that has been replicated in other cities where citizens have protested the removal of Confederate monuments. I'm not aware of any other country that has monuments that celebrate the loser of a conflict or war and on top of that to celebrate the absolute WORST part of American history. Are there monuments to celebrate Hitler and the Nazi reign in Germany? Are there monuments to celebrate apartheid in South Africa? What reason do Confederate monuments serve when the majority of the atrocities that occurred during that time are either ignored or minimized in the history books?

Morals. Everyone has them, although they may differ. It is taught to us when we are young children to always be polite and kind to others. Yet adults, those who are supposed to be the most mature, show less humanity than children, and go out of their way to offend other people. The Confederate Flag for example. It is shown on cars and flying outside of buildings, but what is the point? Those flaunting the flag must know that others may take offense to it. The Confederate Flag is symbolic of a racist past and should be banned from public places because hate groups have adopted it and weaponized the flag to create division and oppression.

The Southern States of America rushed to put into place a new government without taking care of the populace. Next, to secure their new country they rushed into creating an Army to defend it without taking care of the populace. There were no public services, no law enforcement – except the Army and they were stretched thin.

America is rich with history, and the individuals living here are quite proud of many aspects of the past. Hiding beneath the folds of patriotism though, are ugly scars that cannot be forgotten or rubbed away. This facet of the past is common in many countries; however people are hesitant to integrate these unbecoming stories into mainstream history. Slavery and Public History exposes the inclination to ignore those dark areas while at the same time using that knowledge as a vehicle for abhorrence and misunderstanding. When deeply rooted, the feelings these words invoke are difficult to overcome, however Historians can teach us that there is nothing learned from discounting the past no matter how dark or ugly, and approaching subjects such as the meaning behind the Confederate battle flag with knowledge, as well as an open mind, can bring about inspiring and powerful change.

Each of the authors in the three short stories, Andreas Lee's "Anthropology," Alice Walker's "Roselily," and William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" use a Southern background to show how people are ingrained to their past, and fearful of change. They each use Southern culture to show how it develops the personalities and inner feelings of the characters. Each story shows the fear and struggle of people who have made a change, or who would like to make a change, but are afraid of what change will mean to their lives and culture as they know it.