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We need to do a poll of the most Southern REGIONS in the South. The Arkansas and Mississippi Delta? The Ozarks? The Piedmont Atlantic area stretching from Raleigh to Atlanta to Huntsville? Coastal Georgia and South Carolina? The Gulf Coast? The Texas Triangle?
Because Mississippi is winning mostly due to the Mississippi Delta. I doubt anyone really thinks Coastal Mississippi is especially more Southern than Coastal Georgia and South Carolona.
I think there are 3 common stereotypical images of The South.....
1. The world of grand plantations, classic antebellum architecture, Southern belles, warm hospitality and impeccable manners, where grace and gentility survives - I would say Charleston SC wins out. I don't think any place evokes the charm of the Old South more than the South Carolina Lowcountry.
2. A rural, small town with a large black population, cotton fields, blues joints, etc etc - the Mississippi Delta would win
3. Stereotypical backwoods country and rednecks - probably eastern Kentucky, East Tennessee or southern West Virginia.
However South Carolina is the state that has plenty of all 3 of the above, from Charleston to the farm country to the mountains. Politically, SC is also very traditionally Southern with most whites being Republican and most blacks being Democrat, though Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi are like this too. NC, VA, Texas and Georgia have more white Democrats.
Of course there's the New South, but New South really means just like anyplace else in America.
I don't consider Texas to be entirely in the South. Its heavily influenced by transplants and a large chunk of it is an extension of Mexico culturally. I would also consider West Texas to be part of the Southwest.
But Kentucky is also lampooned as hillbilly land, a state with poverty to rival Mississippi.
That seems to be restricted to the mountains of Kentucky. Kentucky is more known for horses, bourbon, bluegrass, and fried chicken, plus its largest urban areas (Louisville, Lexington, NKY) are all pretty nice with very little negatives associated with them, and MS really has no true peers to them. And statistically, while Kentucky has its issues, it usually isn't bringing up the rear with Mississippi; that honor typically goes to WV, AL, SC, etc.
I think there are 3 common stereotypical images of The South.....
1. The world of grand plantations, classic antebellum architecture, Southern belles, warm hospitality and impeccable manners, where grace and gentility survives - I would say Charleston SC wins out. I don't think any place evokes the charm of the Old South more than the South Carolina Lowcountry.
2. A rural, small town with a large black population, cotton fields, blues joints, etc etc - the Mississippi Delta would win
3. Stereotypical backwoods country and rednecks - probably eastern Kentucky, East Tennessee or southern West Virginia.
However South Carolina is the state that has plenty of all 3 of the above, from Charleston to the farm country to the mountains. Politically, SC is also very traditionally Southern with most whites being Republican and most blacks being Democrat, though Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi are like this too. NC, VA, Texas and Georgia have more white Democrats.
Of course there's the New South, but New South really means just like anyplace else in America.
I don't consider Texas to be entirely in the South. Its heavily influenced by transplants and a large chunk of it is an extension of Mexico culturally. I would also consider West Texas to be part of the Southwest.
When people think of the "New South", they think of sprawling, auto-dependent metros with transplants, non-unionized labor, poor transit, cookie-cutter subdivisions, retail chains, and a few new urbanist areas where the wealthier people live, with the lack of "old money" wealth that you'll find in other regions. It's seen as the "Modern South" full of Harris Teeters, Winn-Dixies, Chik-fil-A's, Waffle Houses, local fried chicken joints, divided highways, Belks, SunTrust bank, college football, NASCAR, southern hip hop, and big SUV/pickup truck loving families. It's morein tune with the rest of urban/suburban America (especially outside the Northeast), but still has its distinct style. And yes, South Carolina has that in its midsized metros (including Charleston, where the suburbs have all the "New South" development taking place).
I think there are 3 common stereotypical images of The South.....
1. The world of grand plantations, classic antebellum architecture, Southern belles, warm hospitality and impeccable manners, where grace and gentility survives - I would say Charleston SC wins out. I don't think any place evokes the charm of the Old South more than the South Carolina Lowcountry.
2. A rural, small town with a large black population, cotton fields, blues joints, etc etc - the Mississippi Delta would win
3. Stereotypical backwoods country and rednecks - probably eastern Kentucky, East Tennessee or southern West Virginia.
However South Carolina is the state that has plenty of all 3 of the above, from Charleston to the farm country to the mountains. Politically, SC is also very traditionally Southern with most whites being Republican and most blacks being Democrat, though Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi are like this too. NC, VA, Texas and Georgia have more white Democrats.
Of course there's the New South, but New South really means just like anyplace else in America.
I don't consider Texas to be entirely in the South. Its heavily influenced by transplants and a large chunk of it is an extension of Mexico culturally. I would also consider West Texas to be part of the Southwest.
But you must also consider that Charleston is being absolutely INUNDATED with transplants. That whole "Southern belles, grace and gentility" thing is restricted to the historic district mostly for tourism purposes. Outside of that, you pretty much get the same sort of Southern hospitality you'd get in any other Southern city.
SC doesn't have a whole lot in the way of "stereotypical backwoods country and rednecks" which is mostly associated with Appalachia and SC only has a small sliver of that.
SC is Southern for sure, but I've had folks from MS and Memphis tell me we aren't SOUTHERN Southern like them and I had to agree.
Oh and the New South isn't just like "any place else in America." It's not like the Rustbelt or New England or even the West Coast. There's a particular history there and demographic mash-ups that are somewhat specific to New South cities.
That seems to be restricted to the mountains of Kentucky. Kentucky is more known for horses, bourbon, bluegrass, and fried chicken, plus its largest urban areas (Louisville, Lexington, NKY) are all pretty nice with very little negatives associated with them, and MS really has no true peers to them. And statistically, while Kentucky has its issues, it usually isn't bringing up the rear with Mississippi; that honor typically goes to WV, AL, SC, etc.
When I think of "poor states", to me New Mexico is front and center. It's just as poor as the aforementioned states, and actually lagging further behind economically. I fully expect NM to overtake MS as the poorest state in the next couple of decades, barring some unforeseen changes in leadership.
I think there are 3 common stereotypical images of The South.....
1. The world of grand plantations, classic antebellum architecture, Southern belles, warm hospitality and impeccable manners, where grace and gentility survives - I would say Charleston SC wins out. I don't think any place evokes the charm of the Old South more than the South Carolina Lowcountry.
2. A rural, small town with a large black population, cotton fields, blues joints, etc etc - the Mississippi Delta would win
3. Stereotypical backwoods country and rednecks - probably eastern Kentucky, East Tennessee or southern West Virginia.
However South Carolina is the state that has plenty of all 3 of the above, from Charleston to the farm country to the mountains. Politically, SC is also very traditionally Southern with most whites being Republican and most blacks being Democrat, though Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi are like this too. NC, VA, Texas and Georgia have more white Democrats.
Of course there's the New South, but New South really means just like anyplace else in America.
I don't consider Texas to be entirely in the South. Its heavily influenced by transplants and a large chunk of it is an extension of Mexico culturally. I would also consider West Texas to be part of the Southwest.
Is it safe to say that Coastal Louisiana and Mississippi are a mix of all three?
That seems to be restricted to the mountains of Kentucky. Kentucky is more known for horses, bourbon, bluegrass, and fried chicken, plus its largest urban areas (Louisville, Lexington, NKY) are all pretty nice with very little negatives associated with them, and MS really has no true peers to them. And statistically, while Kentucky has its issues, it usually isn't bringing up the rear with Mississippi; that honor typically goes to WV, AL, SC, etc.
This is True, Kentucky Urban areas Louisville, Lex & NKY aren't what you think of when you are talking about Typical southern, especially Louisville & NKY so no Mississippi and Kentucky are no where in the same league period.
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