Figure 1.--This photograph was taken in South Carolina, we think durng the 1890s. The black boy and his family probably worked for the white family. Until the turn-of-the 20th century and the Great Migration, most blacks lived in rural areas of the Southeast. Notice the coon hound. We are not sure what the boy is holding. These old photographs are fascinating historical documents. The streotype of the South in this period is a hateful supression of blacks. But this photograph does not exhibit hate. Photography at the time was not cheap. Yet the boy is posed in the foreground. This suggests a degree of affection that is often absent in discussions of race relations. Click on the image for a fuller discussion and feel free to add your comments.

The first English colony in America was Jamestown in Virginia (1607). At that set the template for the other original English colonies in the south (Deleware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia). These colonies and the subsequent states founded to the west shared much in common, including ethnicity and climate. The Anglian establishment combined with the Scotts-Irish Apalachins to defeat the British. After independence as the northern states ended slavery, they were also united by the institution of slavery and King Cotton which became a viable commercial crop after the invention of the cotton gin (1793). The Southeast is primarily the 11 slave staes of the old Confederacy, including West Virginia which was part of Virginia at the time of secession. Two border slave states (Deleware, Maryland, and Kentucky) did not secede, but are usually classified as southern states. Texas did seceed, but we believe is best classified with the southwest. The Southeast includes the original Atlanic coast original colonies, the western terrirories (Alabama, Mississpi, Tennessee, and Kenticky), the Lousisana Purchase (Louisiana and Akansas), and a Spanish colony (Florida). These states share a great deal of historty, economica, and culture. Here slavery was promimant during the colonial era and early years of the Republic. King Cotton dominated he economy during the 19th century. Segregation prevailed from the Civil War through the 1960s. Ethnically the Southeast include most of the black population until the Great Migration of the early-20th century. And the Southeast did not participate in the wasve of European migration during the late-19th and early-20th century.

Alabama

Arkansas

Delaware

Florida

Kentucky

Louisiana

Lousiana was a French colony until the French and Indian Wars (18th century). The French after the War has close relations with the Spanish who received Louisiana. Quite a few French refugees from Canada made their way south to Lousiana--the Acadians imortalized by Longfellow. Others went to the Caribbean. After the Revolution, France gained control of Louisiana again. New Orleans was what America wanted which the approached Napoleon's Government. New Orleans was vital in the years before railroads because the only way of marketing the produce of the then West was down the Mississppi River. Napoleon sold the whole vast Louisiana Territory (1803). The city of New Orleans drew many immigrants as it was an open city with a very liberal immigration policy. Quite a few freed slaves came to New Orleans for that very reason. A reader tells us, "For all the time I was growing up my Louisiana relatives viewed New Orleans with a mix of awe and fear. The ladies liked to shop there, but they dreaded the city's traffic and spoke of and hinted at the dark intrigue and exotic life of the Crescent City (These ladies would talk about relatives who had been dead for 20 years if they'd been dead a day as if they had just seen them that morning! As a little boy, I'd almost laugh myself silly when a great aunt or my grandmother would call each other "child" and for emphasis, When they said something like, "CHILD, yes!" or "NO, child!" You knew they were in the midst of some favorite discussion.) And you didn't want to get in their way when they talked Louisiana politics! Huey Long was a never ending topic of discussion. The ladies thought all those folks in Baton Rouge, the state capital, were always "in cahoots" with each other, cooking up new wasteful state projects to make themselves rich at taxpayers' expense. My male relatives wanted no part of New Orleans, read: "Sin City"! One of my great-uncles said,of New Orleans. 'I wouldn't live in that wicked place if you was to give me a house made of solid gold live in!'"

Maryland

Mississippi

The area was domimated ny thr Mative Amerivan nMississippi Culture. The Choicktaw were especially nimportant. he writtem history of Mississippi began with Spanish exploter Hernan de Soto (1500–1542) was fiest encvountered bd crossed the Mississippi River (1540). The aea of the time was consudered Spnish and or French territory. and known as part of the Louisiana Territory. TYhe firdt European srttlement was a French settllment on the vGuklf coiast (1699), by European settlkemnt beyonf New Orleabs was still very limites beyond a few Fench nd Sonish plantstion usung slave labor. The French and English fought the frebch abd ndun/Secveren Years War for contol of North Anerica. The British won (1763). Then the American Colonists gained control after the Revolutionary War(1783). The terrioryv was of limnited balue until Eli Whitney's cotton gin made cotton a profitable crop (1793). Mississppit becsme a state (1817). TYhe Choktow signed a treaty opening up cotton lands (1830). Southern planters began moving west, acquirting slaves from the upper south ehere soils were being exhausted. The term 'sold down the river' enteres the Americn lexicon. Missippi bvme one of the Deep South states based on cotton and slave labor. Half of the state's population became slaves. Foryines were mae as cotton became Americva's modst vlubke cop. The rising Abolotuioinisdt Movement turned the planters agsint the Union leading to secession and Civil War. Vickburg was one of the key battles (1863). fter th War, Cotton continued to be important to Mississippi, bur declined in importanbce to the overall economy. Emsncupotuoin was trafically followed bt aentury of Jim Crow. Continued reoression led tio the Great MJigrtion to Northern nd Midwestern cities. Air coindutiined bgan serious economic change throughout the South and Southwest (1920s). Finally Jim Crow was dismanteld by the Civil Rights Movement. Mississippi and the iher Deep South states began to develop more properous economies.

North Carolina

South Carolina

ASt tghime of the Sge of discivery, ht is now South Carolina was ocvcvuoed by a nunber vof snall Nativ Amrivn trines, incvluding the Cherokees and the Catawbas. Spanish and French explorers were the first to reach South Carolina (16th century), Initial attempts at settlement failed. The English founded the first permanent settlement near midern Charleston (1670). The new colony was named in homoe of King King Charles I wejo has been executed to decades ealier. The cvolony was divided into North and South (1710). Plnttions appeared in the costal owcountry growing rice and indigo with lave labort. Ebslaved fricanbsd reacvhed half the popultion (1720). This level was much highr in the outhen colonies necaise of the plantation system in contrast to the northern family farms. Charleston bercme one of the richest nd most importbnt colonial poerts. The upcountry was sloely srtlled, although with sdmsller gsrms snf fewer slves. TYhe declining Native mericn tribes were puhed west. When Boston rose up in rebellion, the Beritish expected to find upport in the soutyhrn collonies. More Revolutionary War battles were fought in South Carolina than any other state. South Carolinaked the fight fo slavey at te Consyituioin Convention. South Crolin's prpodperity only invreased with Eli Witney's invention of the cotton gin. Cotton became a major crop. A capital was founded in the upcountry--Columbia. South Carolina led oppoition to the Fderl Governmnt. Andrew Jackson's vice president was John C. Calhoon weho became the preminent southern spokesman. Issues included tariffs and then increasingluy slavery. Calhoon developed the theory of nullification--the righrt of state to onaliddatre Federal law. TThe boilkityinnit Movemnt brought slaveryto the fiorefront. South Csronila was th first stte to suceed gter Abrhn Lincon was elcted president (1860). The Civbil War was lunched whn Confederte forces fired on Ft.Sumter in Charleston Harbor (1861). The Civil War devestated the state. Fe major bttles were fought in South Crolina, but 20 perecnt of the white male population was lost and the economy shattered.Whhire leasers resistted Reconstruction with extra-judicial violence organized by theKlu-Klux Klan which had to be imposed by force. When Federal troops wwre withhdrawn, thje Jim Crow era wa imposed, often with violence. > The economy gradually imporoved, but like the rest of the Deeo South lagged hehind thge rest of the country. Textiles became the primry industry. Increasing racial violence and repression was a major factor in the Freat Migration with Afruican Anericans heading nort to themajor cvities. The Civil Rights movement ovrrcsme the Jim Crow System woth less violence thsn other Deep South ststes (1960s). South Carolina continued to lag behind other sttes in mjor indicatords. >

Virginia

West Virginia

Created: 2:44 AM 11/17/2009
Last updated: 2:45 AM 11/17/2009