The Resilience of Southern Identity

The American South has experienced remarkable change over the past half century. Black voter registration has increased, the region’s politics have shifted from one-party Democratic to the near-domination of the Republican Party, and in-migration has increased its population manyfold. At the same time, many outward signs of regional distinctiveness have faded — chain restaurants have replaced mom-and-pop diners, and the interstate highway system connects the region to the rest of the country. Gi