NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Culture of the Southern United States

The Culture of the Southern United States or Southern Culture is a subculture of the United States that has resulted from the blending of a heavy amount of English, Scottish/Scots-Irish culture, the culture of African slaves, Native American culture, and to a lesser degree that of French and Spanish colonists. Southerners have a unique shared history, which includes remembrance of difficult times such as the institution of slavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction, the Great Depression, segregation and the Civil Rights Movement, and more recent events or tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina. Image File history File links US_map-South_Modern. ... Image File history File links US_map-South_Modern. ... In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with a set of behaviors and beliefs, culture, which could be distinct or hidden, that differentiate them from the larger culture to which they belong. ... This article is about the English as an ethnic group and nation. ... This article is about the Scottish as an ethnic group. ... Ulster-Scots is a term mainly used in Ireland and Britain (Scotch-Irish or Scots-Irishis commonly used in North America) primarily to refer to Presbyterian Scots, or their descendents, who migrated from the Scottish Lowlands to Ulster (the northern province of Ireland), largely across the 17th century. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second_largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... The history of the Southern United States reaches back thousands of years and included the Mississippian peoples, well known for their mound building. ... Slave redirects here. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... For other uses, see Reconstruction (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ... The Rex Theatre for Colored People Racial segregation is characterised by separation of different races in daily life, such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a rest room, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home[1]. Segregation... Historically, various popular movements struggling for social justice and democratic rights since the Second World War were known as civil rights movement, most famously the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, which struggled for equal rights for African-Americans. ... This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 2005. ...

The South also hosts a vibrant African American subculture, a sense of rural isolation, and a strong regional identity. It has also developed its own customs, literature, musical styles (such as country music, bluegrass, southern gospel, rock and roll, blues and jazz), and cuisine. This unique cultural and historical blend has caused many scholars such as sociologist John Shelton Reed to speculate that Southerners are a separate ethnic group. [1] In the United States, African American culture or Black culture includes the various cultural traditions of African American communities. ... Sign in a rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China An artists rendering of an aerial view of the Maryland countryside: Jane Frank (Jane Schenthal Frank, 1918-1986), Aerial Series: Ploughed Fields, Maryland, 1974, acrylic and mixed materials on apertured double canvas, 52... Southern literature (sometimes called the literature of the American South) is defined as American literature about the Southern United States or by writers from this region. ... country music, see Country music (disambiguation) Country music, the first half of Billboards country and western music category, is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States. ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... â€œBlues musicâ€ redirects here. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... The Southern United States has a distinct cuisine that draws heavily on influences of the various groups that have inhabited the area. ...

People

The predominant culture of the South has its origins with the settlement of the region by British colonists. In the 17th century, most were of English origins who settled mostly on the coastal regions of the South, but in the 18th century, large groups of Scots and Ulster-Scots (later called the Scots-Irish) settled in Appalachia and the Piedmont. According to an 1860 census, "three-quarters of white Southerners had surnames that were Scottish, Irish or Welsh in origin." 250,000 settled in the USA between 1717 and 1770 alone. They were often called "crackers" [2] by English neighbors. As one wrote, "I should explain… what is meant by Crackers; a name they have got from being great boasters; they are a lawless set of rascals on the frontiers of Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas, and Georgia, who often change their places of abode." Most had previously lived in Scotland, usually in the Lowlands and Scottish Border Country. The "Celtic Thesis" of Forrest McDonald and Grady McWhiney holds that they were mostly of Celtic origin (as opposed to Anglo-Saxon), and that the Celtic groups (Scots-Irish, Scottish, Welsh and others) were warlike herdsmen, in contrast to the peaceful farmers who predominated in England. Author James Webb uses this thesis in his book Born Fighting to suggest that the character traits of the Scots-Irish, loyalty to kin, mistrust of governmental authority, and military readiness, "helped shape the American identity," and indeed, these features commonly seen in the South have long been woven into fabric of American society and policy. British colonization of the Americas (including colonization under the Kingdom of England before the 1707 Acts of Union created the Kingdom of Great Britain) began in the late 16th century, before reaching its peak after colonies were established throughout the Americas, and a protectorate was established in Hawaii. ... This article is about the English as an ethnic group and nation. ... This article is about the Scottish as an ethnic group. ... Ulster-Scots is a term mainly used in Ireland and Britain (Scotch-Irish or Scots-Irishis commonly used in North America) primarily to refer to Presbyterian Scots, or their descendents, who migrated from the Scottish Lowlands to Ulster (the northern province of Ireland), largely across the 17th century. ... Scots-Irish (also called Ulster Scots) is a Scottish ethnic group that historically resided in Ireland which ultimately traces its roots back to settlers from Scotland, and to a lesser extent, England. ... It has been suggested that Poverty in Appalachia be merged into this article or section. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... Image:1870 census Lindauer Weber 01. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the Scottish as an ethnic group. ... The Welsh are, according to Hastings (1997), an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language, which is a Celtic language. ... Georgia Cracker refers to the original American pioneer settlers of the State of Georgia, and their descendants. ... This article is about the country. ... Lowland-Highland divide The Scottish Lowlands (a Ghalldachd, meaning roughly the non-Gaelic region, in Gaelic), although not officially a geographical area of the country, in normal usage is generally meant to include those parts of Scotland not referred to as the Highlands (or GÃ idhealtachd), that is, everywhere due... Scottish Borders (often referred to locally as The Borders or The Borderland) is one of 35 local government unitary council areas of Scotland. ... For other uses, see Anglo-Saxon. ... Ulster-Scots is a term mainly used in Ireland and Britain (Scotch-Irish or Scots-Irishis commonly used in North America) primarily to refer to Presbyterian Scots, or their descendents, who migrated from the Scottish Lowlands to Ulster (the northern province of Ireland), largely across the 17th century. ... This article is about the Scottish as an ethnic group. ... The Welsh are, according to Hastings (1997), an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language, which is a Celtic language. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

The other primary population group in the South is made up of the African-American descendants of the slaves brought into the South. African-Americans comprise the United States' second-largest racial minority, accounting for 12.1 percent of the total population according to the 2000 census. Despite Jim Crow era outflow to the North (see Great Migration (African American)) the majority of the black population remains concentrated in the southern states, and have transmitted their foods, music (see "negro spirituals"), art, and charismatic brand of Christianity to white Southerners, and the rest of the nation. This box: The Jim Crow Laws were state and local laws enacted in the Southern and border states of the United States and enforced between 1876 and 1965. ... The states in blue had the ten largest net gains of African-Americans during the Great Migration, while the states in red had the ten largest net losses[1]. The Great Migration was the movement of over 1 million[1] African Americans out of the rural Southern United States from... A spiritual is a African-American song, usually with a religious text. ...

There has been much criticism over the years by both Southerners and Northerners alike of the negative stereotypes of southerners (especially those of the Appalachian regions) depicted in the media and in the general attitudes of some people from other regions. Critics argue that in this age of "political correctness" and sensitivity (especially taught in American schools since the 1990's) that the people of the southern United States are today one of the few groups that can be openly and "safely" ridiculed and discriminated against^{[citation needed]}. This is primarily due, critics point out, to other Americans' lack of knowledge of the region and because of hostile feelings and prejudices in response to the south's history of poor education (in some areas) and racial problems. Offensive terms such as "redneck", "hick" and "hillbilly" are often used to pervasively blanket the entire region.

Religion

The South is highly religious, perhaps more so than any other industrialized culture in the world. Part of the South is known as the "Bible Belt", because of the prevalence there of evangelical or fundamentalist Protestantism ,and sometimes conservative Catholicism. The region is perceived as being intolerant of other religions or the non-religious, mainly due to the fact that Southern churches evangelize more than churches in other regions, which many non-conservative Christians and others consider hostile. However, few Southerners question actual freedom of worship or non-worship. In addition, there are significant Roman Catholic populations along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and in most cities in the South (especially the port cities of New Orleans, Biloxi, Pensacola, and Mobile, which are not only urban but have a history as French colonies). Cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, and Houston have significant Jewish and Islamic communities. Immigrants from Southeast Asia and South Asia have brought Buddhism and Hinduism to the region as well. (For more information, see Charles Reagan Wilson, "Overview: Religion and the U.S. South", Southern Spaces, March 16, 2004) The approximate extent of the Bible Belt, indicated in red The Bible Belt is an informal term for an area of the United States of America in which socially conservative Christian Evangelical Protestantism is a dominant part of the culture. ... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Pope Â· Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box: The word evangelicalism often refers to... Look up fundamentalism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Protestantism encompasses the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated with the doctrines of the Reformation. ... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Â· Other religions Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury Â· Catholic Pope Coptic Pope Â· Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box: As a... Proselytism is the practice of attempting to convert people to another opinion, usually another religion. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Biloxi and Mississippi coast The city derived its name originally from the Biloxi, a native American tribe: Biloxi (Tribe) Biloxi is a city located in Harrison County, Mississippi. ... Pensacola is the name of several cities as well as other things: Pensacola (tribe), a group of Native Americans A number of places in the U.S. state of Florida: Pensacola, Florida An area airport, see Pensacola Regional Airport. ... It has been suggested that List of people from Mobile, Alabama be merged into this article or section. ... French Colonies is the name used by philatelists to refer to the postage stamps issued by France for use in the parts of the French colonial empire that did not have stamps of their own. ... This article is about the state capital of Georgia. ... Charlotte (also known as candle stick) is a figure skating grace move - one of the spirals, where the skater is bended and glides on its one leg with the other one lifted to the air. ... For other cities named Nashville, see Nashville (disambiguation). ... Houston redirects here. ... History of the Jews in the United States focuses on the history of Jews in the United States, which has had the worldâ€™s largest Jewish population until 2004. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ...

Southern dialect

The Southern American English dialect is often stigmatized, as are other American English dialects such as New York-New Jersey English. However, in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in the Southern dialect. It is spoken throughout the South, originating from the wave of Scot-Irish immigrants who have populated the region. These immigrants brought with them a very distinct style of English speaking, which was then combined with the African languages spoken by the African Americans who were at this time enslaved in the South. Over time this cultural and linguistic diversity combined with the South's rural isolation, and longtime use and familiarity with the King James Version of the Bible in religious life, to produce a unique American dialect. Southern American English can be divided into different sub-dialects (see American English), with speech differing between, for example, the Appalachian region and the coastal area around Charleston, South Carolina. The dialect spoken to various degrees by many African Americans, African American Vernacular English (AAVE), shares many similarities with Southern dialect, unsurprising given that group's strong historical ties to the region. // Southern American English as defined by the monophthongization of to before obstruents (Labov, Ash, and Boberg 2006:126). ... New York Dialect is the variety of the English language spoken by most European Americans in New York City and much of its metropolitan area including Northern New Jersey, Westchester and Rockland counties, and all of Long Island. ... Map showing the distribution of African language families and some major African languages. ... This page is about the version of the Bible; for the Harvey Danger album, see King James Version (album). ... For other uses, see American English (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Poverty in Appalachia be merged into this article or section. ... Nickname: Motto: Aedes Mores Juraque Curat (She cares for her temples, customs, and rights) Location of Charleston in South Carolina. ... Note: This page or section contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ...

While traces of African language remain in AAVE, there are a few distinctively African dialect groups in the South, the Gullah the most famous among them. The Gullah people of the coastal low country of South Carolina have retained more aspects of their original African language and culture than any other African American group. They possess what some would even label a separate language and are the subject of rigorous study by linguists and anthropologists. Other, less known African American dialect groups are the rural blacks of the Mississippi Basin, and Africantown near Mobile, Alabama, where the last known ship to arrive in the Americas with slaves was abandoned in 1860. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

There are several other unique linguistic enclaves in the American South. Among many is in the Outer Banks, which some scholars claim hosts an English dialect from the colonial South. The New Orleans or "Yat" dialect is similar to the "Brooklyn accent" because of an influx of German and Irish immigrants similar to what shaped Brooklyn. And many are familiar with the French-based Cajun French that pervades Louisiana. North Carolinas Outer Banks separating the Atlantic Ocean (east) from Albemarle Sound (north) and Pamlico Sound (south). ... Yat refers to a unique collection of dialects of English spoken in New Orleans, Louisiana. ... Cajun French (sometimes called Louisiana Regional French [2]) is one of three varieties or dialects of the French language spoken primarily in the U.S. state of Louisiana, specifically in the southern parishes. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ...

Tobacco

The South was world famous for its production and use of tobacco, which earned premium prices from around the world. Next to cotton it was the dominant cash crop from the earliest days to the late 20th century, especially in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Kentucky. Most farmers grew a little for their own use, or traded with neighbors who grew it. Commercial sales became important in the late 19th century as major tobacco companies rose in the South, becoming one the largest employers in cities like Durham, NC, Lexington , KY and Richmond, VA. In 1938 R.J. Reynolds marketed eighty-four brands of chewing tobacco, twelve brands of smoking tobacco, and the top-selling Camel brand of cigarettes, which had to compete with Chesterfields, Lucky Strikes, and eventually Old Golds. Reynolds sold large quantities of chewing tobacco, though that market peaked about 1910 as people shifted to cigarettes.^[3] In the late 20th century, use of smokeless tobacco by adolescent American males increased by 450 percent for chewing tobacco and by 1500 percent, or fifteenfold, for snuff. From 1978 to 1984, there was a 15 percent compound annual growth rate in U.S. smokeless tobacco sales. Usage is highest in the South and in the rural west. In 1992, 30 percent of all male high school seniors in the southeastern United States were regular users of chewing tobacco or snuff--more than smoked cigarettes, according to the Center for Disease Control. [3][4] Chewing tobacco is a smokeless tobacco product. ...

Cuisine

As an important feature of Southern culture, the cuisine of the South is often described as one of its most distinctive traits^{[citation needed]}. The variety of cuisines range from Tex-Mex cuisine, Cajun and Creole, traditional antebellum fare, all types of seafood, and Texas, Carolina and Memphis styles of Barbecue. Non-alcoholic beverages of choice include "sweet tea" and various soft drinks, many of which had their origins in the South (e.g. Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, and Dr Pepper). In many parts of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and other parts of the South, the term "soft drink" or "soda" is discarded in favor of "Coke" (though this could be seen as stating a preference for a brand, though the actual soft drink acquired is variable). Lagers and Pilsners are generally preferred to heavier/darker beers due to the predominance of hot climate. Texas is also the center of a burgeoning wine boom, due to its climate and well drained limestone based soils, particularly in the Texas Hill Country. Traditional African American Southern food is often called "soul food". This is nothing but the traditional Southern food of white people, also. Of course, most Southern cities and even some smaller towns now offer a wide variety of cuisines of other origins^{[citation needed]} such as Chinese, Italian, French, Middle Eastern, as well as restaurants still serving primarily Southern specialties, so-called "home cooking" establishments. Some notable "home cooking" meals include: fried chicken, "corn on the cob," pot liquor, vegetable stew, chicken and dumplings, and country fried steak. The cuisine of the Southern United States is defined as the regional culinary form of states generally south of the Mason-Dixon Line easterly to the state of Texas. ... Tex-Mex is a term for a type of American food which is used primarily in Texas and the Southwestern United States to describe a regional cuisine which blends food products available in the United States and the culinary creations of Mexican-Americans that are influenced by the cuisines of... Cajun cuisine originates from the French-speaking Acadian or Cajun immigrants deported by the English from Acadia in Canada to the Acadiana region of Louisiana, USA. It is what could be called a rustic cuisine â€” locally available ingredients predominate, and preparation is simple. ... Louisiana Creole cuisine is a style of cooking originating in Louisiana (centered on the Greater New Orleans area) that blends French, Spanish, and American influences. ... Antebellum is a Latin word meaning before war(ante means before and bellum is war). ... A barbecue in a public park in Australia A barbecue on a trailer at a block party in Kansas City Pans on the top shelf hold hamburgers and hot dogs that were grilled earlier when the coals were hot. ... A glass of sweet tea Sweet tea is a form of iced tea in which sugar or some other form of sweetener is added to the hot water before brewing, while brewing the tea, or post-brewing, but before the beverage is chilled and served. ... The wave shape (known as the dynamic ribbon device) present on all Coca-Cola cans throughout the world derives from the contour of the original Coca-Cola bottles. ... Pepsi Cola is a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage produced and manufactured by PepsiCo. ... Mountain Dew is a caffeinated, sweet, citrus-flavored soft drink produced by PepsiCo, Inc. ... For the alcoholic cocktail said to taste the same, see Flaming Dr. Pepper. ... Lager is a well attenuated beer brewed in cool conditions using a slow-acting brewers yeast, known as a bottom-fermenting yeast, and then stored (or lagered) for a period in cool conditions to clear away particles and certain flavour compounds to produce a clean taste. ... Pilsener or pilsner is a type of lager beer. ... The Texas Hill Country, as seen from near Interstate 10. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The term Middle Eastern cuisine refers to the various cuisines of the Middle East. ... KFCs Fried chicken with french fries. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Collard liquor, also known as pot liquor, sometimes spelled potlikker[1] or pot likker[2] is the liquid that is left behind after boiling greens (collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens). ... Chicken fried steak or country fried steak is a food preparation associated with soul food and Southern U.S. cuisine, particularly Texas. ...

Literature

The South has a strong literary history. Characteristics of Southern literature including a focus on a common Southern history, the significance of family, a sense of community and one's role within it, the community's dominant religion ( Conservative Christianity) and the burdens/rewards religion often brings, issues of racial tension, land and the promise it brings, and the use of the Southern dialect. Southern literature (sometimes called the literature of the American South) is defined as American literature about the Southern United States or by writers from this region. ... A community is a social group of organisms sharing an environment, normally with shared interests. ...

Perhaps the most famous Southern writer is William Faulkner, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949. Faulkner brought new techniques such as stream of consciousness and complex narrative techniques to American writing (such as in his novel As I Lay Dying). Other well-known Southern writers include Zora Neale Hurston, Eudora Welty, Flannery O'Connor, Carson McCullers, James Dickey, Willie Morris, Tennessee Williams, and Walker Percy. One of the most famous Southern novels of the 20th century, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, won the Pulitzer Prize when it was published in 1960. William Cuthbert Faulkner (September 25, 1897 â€“ July 6, 1962) was an American novelist and poet whose works feature his native state of Mississippi. ... Nobel Prize in Literature medal. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a literary technique which seeks to portray an individuals point of view by giving the written equivalent of the characters thought processes. ... As I Lay Dying is a novel written by the American author William Faulkner. ... Zora Neale Hurston (January 7, 1891 â€“ January 28, 1960) was an American folklorist and author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance, best known for the 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. ... Eudora Welty (b. ... Mary Flannery OConnor (March 25, 1925â€“August 3, 1964) was an American author. ... Carson McCullers, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1959 Carson McCullers (February 19, 1917 â€“ September 29, 1967) was an American writer. ... James Dickey (February 2, 1923 â€“ January 19, 1997) was a popular United States poet and novelist. ... William Weaks Willie Morris (November 29, 1934 â€” August 2, 1999), was an American writer and editor born in Jackson, Mississippi, though his family later moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, which he immortalized in his works of prose. ... Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 â€“ February 25, 1983), better known by the pseudonym Tennessee Williams, was a major American playwright and one of the prominent playwrights of the twentieth century. ... Walker Percy (May 28, 1916 â€“ May 10, 1990) was an American Southern author whose interests included philosophy and semiotics. ... To Kill a Mockingbird is a Southern Gothic bildungsroman novel by Harper Lee. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee (born April 28, 1926) is an American novelist known for her Pulitzer Prize â€“ winning 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird, her only major work to date. ... The Pulitzer Prize is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in print journalism, literary achievements, and musical composition. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Music

The musical heritage of the South was developed by both whites and blacks, both influencing each other directly and indirectly. The South's musical history actually starts before the Civil War, with the songs of the African slaves and the highlands folk music brought from Europe. Blues was developed in the rural South by Blacks at the beginning of the 20th century. In addition, gospel music, spirituals, country music, rhythm and blues, soul music, bluegrass, jazz (including ragtime, popularized by Southerner Scott Joplin), and Appalachian folk music all were either born in the South or developed in the region. â€œBlues musicâ€ redirects here. ... Gospel music is a musical genre characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) referencing lyrics of a religious nature, particularly Christian. ... A spiritual is a African-American song, usually with a religious text. ... country music, see Country music (disambiguation) Country music, the first half of Billboards country and western music category, is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States. ... For other uses, see Rhythm and blues (disambiguation). ... This article is about the novel Soul Music. ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Scott Joplin Scott Joplin (born between June 1867 and January 1868[1]; died April 1, 1917) was an American musician and composer of ragtime music. ... Appalachian folk music is a distinctive genre of folk music originating in the Appalachia region of the United States of America. ...

Rock n' roll began in the south as well^{[citation needed]}. Early rock n' roll musicians from the south include Johnny Cash (Arkansas), Buddy Holly (Texas), Bo Diddley (Mississippi), Ray Charles (from Florida, though his musical career started in Seattle), Carl Perkins (Tennessee), Elvis Presley (born in Mississippi, although lived in Memphis, Tennessee during his career), and Jerry Lee Lewis (Louisiana) among others. Many who got their start in show business in the South eventually banked on mainstream success as well: Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton are two such examples. For the song of the same name, recorded by Tracy Byrd and later by Jason Aldean, see Johnny Cash (song). ... For the Weezer song, see Buddy Holly (song). ... Bo Diddleys emphasis on rhythm largely influenced popular music, especially that of rock and roll in the 1960s. ... For the composer and conductor of the Ray Charles Singers, see Ray Charles (composer). ... Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 â€“ January 19, 1998) was an American pioneer of rockabilly music, a mix of rhythm and blues and country music that was recorded most notably at Sun Records in Memphis beginning in 1954. ... â€œElvisâ€ redirects here. ... â€œElvisâ€ redirects here. ... Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is a Grammy-winning and Academy Award-nominated American country singer, songwriter, composer, musician, author, actress, and philanthropist. ...

A recent rise in interest in rap music (which is arguably the only major American music not started in the South^{[citation needed]}) has allowed for varied styles. Atlanta, Houston, and Memphis are noted hot spots for distinct styles of rap. During its early years, rap was dominated by a rivalry between East and West Coast styles and rappers, but has now developed in what is called the Dirty South or Third Coast. Hip hop music is a style of popular music. ... This article is about the state capital of Georgia. ... Houston redirects here. ... For other uses, see Memphis (disambiguation). ... For other uses of the term Dirty South, see The Dirty South Dirty South is a style of rap music that popped up in the latter half of the 1990s and is based in southern cities and states such as Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Atlanta, Miami or South Florida, Mississippi... Third Coast is a term sometimes used in the United States for regions other than the East Coast and the West Coast, which are commonly seen as centers of American popular culture. ...

Sports

While the South has had a number of Super Bowl winning National Football League teams (such as the Dallas Cowboys, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Miami Dolphins) the region is noted for the intensity with which people follow high school and college football teams, especially the Southeastern Conference and in Texas where high school football, especially in smaller communities, is a dominating activity. NFL redirects here. ... City Irving, Texas Other nicknames Americas Team, The Boys Team colors Silver, Navy Blue Head Coach Wade Phillips Owner Jerry Jones General manager Jerry Jones League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1960â€“present) Northern Conference (1960) Eastern Conference (1961-1966) Capitol Division (1967-1969) National Football Conference (1970-present... This May 2007 does not cite any references or sources. ... City Miami Gardens, Florida Other nicknames The Fins Team colors Aqua, Coral, White and Navy Head Coach liljimjim Owner Wayne Huizenga General manager Randy Mueller Mascot T.D. League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1966-1969) Eastern Division (1966-1969) National Football League (1970â€“present) American Football Conference (1970-present... For other uses, see High school (disambiguation). ... A college football game between Colorado State and Air Force. ... The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which operates in the southeastern part of the United States. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallasâ€“Fort Worthâ€“Arlington Area Ranked 2nd - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 kmÂ²) - Width 773 miles (1,244 km) - Length 790 miles (1,270 km) - % water 2. ...

Baseball became popular in the South, with spring training in Florida from the 1920s, and Major League Baseball teams like the Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins being recent World Series victors. Minor league baseball is also closely followed in the South (with the South being home to more minor league teams than any other region of the United States). This article is about the sport. ... MLB and Major Leagues redirect here. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876â€“present) East Division (1994â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966â€“present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... Major league affiliations National League (1993â€“present) East Division (1993â€“present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 42 Name Florida Marlins (1993â€“present) Other nicknames The Fish Ballpark Dolphin Stadium (1993â€“present) a. ... For the organization which many minor leagues belong to, see Minor League Baseball Part of the History of baseball series. ...

The South is also the birthplace of NASCAR auto racing. Other popular sports in the South include golf (which can be played almost year-round because of the South's mild climate), fishing, and the hunting of wild game such as deer, birds, and raccoons. Ironically, the hot-weather Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes were the 2003-04 and 2005-06 National Hockey League champions. Atlanta was the host of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.[5] Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... This article is about the sport. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering. ... This article is about the hunting of prey by human society. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Common Raccoon native range in red, feral range in blue. ... The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. ... The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... The 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the National Hockey League began on April 7, 2004, following the 2003-04 regular season. ... The NHL unveiled a new logo for the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs. ... NHL redirects here. ... (Redirected from 1996 Summer Olympic Games) Categories: 1996 Summer Olympics ...

Film

Many critically acclaimed movies have been set in the cultural background of the South. A partial list of these films follows:

For a more complete listing of Southern cinema, see films set in the Southern United States. Gone with the Wind is a 1939 film adapted from Margaret Mitchells 1936 novel of the same name. ... Song of the South is a feature film produced by Walt Disney, released on November 12, 1946 by RKO Radio Pictures and based on the Uncle Remus cycle of stories by Joel Chandler Harris. ... All the Kings Men is a 1949 film based on the Robert Penn Warren novel of the same name. ... A Streetcar Named Desire is an Academy Award-winning 1951 film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name by Tennessee Williams. ... The Miracle Worker is a cycle of 20th-century dramatic works ultimately derived from Helen Kellers autobiography, The Story of My Life. ... To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 film directed by Robert Mulligan and based on the novel of the same name by Harper Lee. ... Deliverance is a 1972 Warner Bros. ... The Color Purple is the ninth film directed by Steven Spielberg, and was released 1985. ... Mississippi Burning is a 1988 film based on the investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964. ... Driving Miss Daisy is a 1987 play by Alfred Uhry adapted into a 1989 Warner Bros. ... For the main character of the same name, see Forrest Gump (character) Forrest Gump is a 1994 drama film based on a 1986 novel by Winston Groom and the name of the title character of both. ... O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a dark comedy film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, set in Mississippi during the Great Depression (specifically, 1937). ... Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on thirty years[2]of the life of legendary rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. ... The following is a partial chronological list of movies set in the Southern United States: This film, television, or video-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ...

Television

Following the boom of television in the 1950s, many shows were set in the South and/or became very popular with Southerners. They included:

1976-Present: The Real McCoys was a television situation comedy. ... The Andy Griffith Show is an American television series that aired on CBS from October 3rd, 1960 to April 1st, 1968. ... For the 1993 film, see The Beverly Hillbillies (film) The Beverly Hillbillies was an American television program about a hillbilly family transplanted in Southern California. ... Petticoat Junction was an American situation comedy that was produced by Filmways, Inc. ... This article is about the television series. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

By 1971 sponsors had grown weary of this formula, and CBS consequently cancelled all of its Southern shows. [6] (Only Hee Haw survived, in syndication.) However, in 1976 Jimmy Carter was elected as the first President of the United States from the Deep South (or arguably only the first since the Civil War; see Deep South.) The election resulted in reporters swarming into Carter's small southern town of Plains, Georgia, speculation about his lifestyle and Southern Baptist faith, and renewed interest in Southern culture.[7] For other persons named Jimmy Carter, see Jimmy Carter (disambiguation). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Plains is a city located in Sumter County, Georgia. ... The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a United States cooperative ministry agency serving missionary Baptist churches around the world. ...

In addition, network television shows set in the South since 1990 include: The Southfork Ranch, home of the Ewing family The original cast of Dallas. ... The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that originally aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985. ... Flo was an American television sitcom series which ran from 1980 to 1981 on CBS. The series was a spinoff for Polly Holliday, whose portrayal of the sassy and street-smart waitress Florence Jean Castleberry (Flo) on Alice struck a chord with viewers. ... Mamas Family is an American television sitcom which premiered on January 22, 1983, on the NBC television network, where it aired for two seasons, until its cancellation in May 1984. ... For the Hong Kong film, see The Golden Girls (1995 film). ... Designing Women was an American television sitcom that centered around the working and personal lives of four women in an interior design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. ... In the Heat of the Night is a television series based on the motion picture, In the Heat of the Night that ran from 1988 to 1995. ...

However, critics point out that most of these shows, and most films in general, stereotype Southerners as "hapless hicks" [8] or "a universally simple and often silly group of inhabitants" [9] and do not fairly represent their culture. This article is about the television program. ... Evening Shade aired on CBS from 1990 to 1994. ... The Riches (also spelt The RÄ±Â¢hes in promotional material) is an Emmy Award-nominated FX television series starring Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver. ... Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television western/police dramatic series, created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. ...

Art

Though the region has been the home of many artists, the concept of Southern art as a separate genre is a 20th century phenomenon^{[citation needed]}. Outstanding collections of Southern art can be found at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans and the Morris Museum of Southern Art in Augusta. Southern expressionism and folk art are types of art generally considered to be part of Southern art. The Southern Arts Federation maintains a registry of contemporary Southern artists (including visual artists, performing artists, media artists and writers) who have been recognized by their state arts councils based on the outstanding quality of their work. 16 states and Washington, D.C. are defined as the Southern region of the United States by the Census Bureau. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The Southern Arts Federation (SAF), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of six not-for-profit regional arts organizations funded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). ... The Arts Council of Great Britain was a Quango dedicated to the promotion of the fine arts in Britain. ...

Some famous folk artists from the American South include Howard Finster (Summerville,GA) who mixed southern spirituality and traditional religious motifs with surrealism and dream-like post-modernism. Finster's work was featured on album covers by bands such as Talking Heads (Little Creatures, 1985) and R.E.M. (Reckoning, 1984). He has a permanent display at the High Museum Of art in Atlanta and his Paradise Gardens is still open to the public almost ten years after his passing. Paradise Gardens in Summerville, GA, built by Finster. ...

Chris Flesher (Tennessee) has sold folk art as pieces and as concepts all over the world and has a collection at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City as well as in Carmel,CA. The influence of his art is mainly centered around the enchanting and beautiful landscape of the Great Smokey Mountains of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina.

Pop artist Jasper Johns and African-American modernist Romare Bearden are two other prominent artists from the South: Johns was a native of Augusta, Georgia, while Bearden was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jasper Johnss Map, 1961 Jasper Johnss Flag, Encaustic, oil and collage on fabric mounted on plywood,1954-55 Detail of Flag (1954-55). ... Romare Bearden, in his army uniform, a photograph taken by Carl Van Vechten, 1944 Romare Bearden, (September 2, 1911, in Charlotte, North Carolinaâ€”March 11, 1988 in New York, New York) was an African-American artist and writer. ... Augusta is a city in the state of Georgia in the United States of America. ... â€œCharlotteâ€ redirects here. ...

A major center of American modernism was located at the Black Mountain College in the town of Black Mountain, North Carolina. The history of the college - which attracted John Cage, Walter Gropius, Buckminster Fuller, Merce Cunningham, Willem de Kooning and other pioneers of varied mid-20th century arts - has been extensively detailed in several books and studies (notably, Mary Emma Harris' Arts At Black Mountain College and Vincent Katz' Black Mountain College: Experiment In Art). The school, which operated as an interdisciplinary, progressive institutuion for 23 years, was a key incubator for the American artistic avant-garde of the 1960s and beyond. This article is in need of attention. ... Black Mountain is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. ...

Cultural variations

There continues to be debate about what constitutes the basics elements of Southern culture.[10] This debate is influenced, in part, by the fact that the South is such a large region. As a result, there are a number of cultural variations on display in the region.

Culture of honor

In their study Insult, Aggression, and the Southern Culture of Honor: An “Experimental Ethnography” Dov Cohen and Richard Nisbett found that Southern white males follow norms characteristic of a “culture of honor.” This results in higher aggression compared to white northerners. In 3 experiments, they were insulted by a man who bumped into the participant and called him an “asshole.” Compared with northerners—who were relatively unaffected by the insult—southerners were This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Richard E. Nisbett is a professor of Psychology and Co-Director of the Culture and Cognition Program at the University of Michigan. ...

Findings highlight the insult–aggression cycle in cultures of honor for this ethnic group. Insults diminish a man's reputation and he tries to restore his status by aggressive or violent behavior.^[4]

Contents

People

Religion

Southern dialect

Tobacco

Cuisine

Literature

Music

Sports

Film

Television

Art

Cultural variations

Culture of honor

See also

Notes

Sources

Contents

People GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Religion

Southern dialect

Tobacco

Cuisine

Literature

Music

Sports

Film

Television

Art

Cultural variations

Culture of honor

See also

Notes

Sources

People