Opinions from Mississippians on the Upper South?

[JayJayCB]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

Not sure. I grew up over 300 miles to the east of Joplin. I've met a few people from there and I don't think I'd consider them to be southern. They may feel differently though.

Sorry for going off topic.

No problem! I have some ancestral ties to Joplin so I thought I might ask. Joplin might be in the same boat as Springfield, overall mid-western but with southern aspects, as well.

[Rock Climber]

Originally Posted by JayJayCB

Interesting! However, I would say Arkansas and Mississippi were still pretty different 50 years ago in political terms. With the exception of the Little Rock Nine episode with Orval Faubus, I believe Arkansas was a moderate southern state, a bit like other Upper South states such as Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. I mean moderate compared to the Deep South, because these states were still pretty segregated up until the mid to late 60's. However, the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State were both integrated in the 50's before the Little Rock Nine Episode if I'm not mistaken. We all know about Mississippi during the 50's and 60's.

True, the University of Arkansas integrated in the 1940s, and a couple of local public school systems were some of the first in the south to integrate after Brown v. BOE.

But its not really fair to compare Arkansas and Mississippi in that manner, mainly because of the demographic differences between the two states. The University of Arkansas admitting a couple of black students wasn't anything like Mississippi's integration, simply because Arkansas has always been "whiter" for lack of a better term. The "threat" of integration's consequences wasn't perceived as strongly by white Arkansans, apart from the stuff down in Little Rock. I seem to be speaking authoritatively about something I never experienced and have only read about in history books. I am really just giving my opinion and perception.

Arkansas is more moderate politically and probably more liberal to this day in many ways, but its also demographically different than much of the deep south.

[JayJayCB]

Originally Posted by Rock Climber

True, the University of Arkansas integrated in the 1940s, and a couple of local public school systems were some of the first in the south to integrate after Brown v. BOE.

But its not really fair to compare Arkansas and Mississippi in that manner, mainly because of the demographic differences between the two states. The University of Arkansas admitting a couple of black students wasn't anything like Mississippi's integration, simply because Arkansas has always been "whiter" for lack of a better term. The "threat" of integration's consequences wasn't perceived as strongly by white Arkansans, apart from the stuff down in Little Rock. I seem to be speaking authoritatively about something I never experienced and have only read about in history books. I am really just giving my opinion and perception.

Arkansas is more moderate politically and probably more liberal to this day in many ways, but its also demographically different than much of the deep south.

I agree. To be fair, during the Little Rock crisis, most of the hostile segregationists drove in from Deep South states such as Louisiana and Mississippi to provoke. The fear that Upper South states such as Arkansas were integrating was too much. If Arkansas and Tennessee start to integrate, it'll only be a matter of time before it's Mississippi and Alabama. The plantation system never existed in Arkansas to the extent of the Deep South states. Therefore, African-Americans were definitely more prominent in the Deep South. Mississippi is the best example.

[Desert kid]

Originally Posted by JayJayCB

I agree. To be fair, during the Little Rock crisis, most of the hostile segregationists drove in from Deep South states such as Louisiana and Mississippi to provoke. The fear that Upper South states such as Arkansas were integrating was too much. If Arkansas and Tennessee start to integrate, it'll only be a matter of time before it's Mississippi and Alabama. The plantation system never existed in Arkansas to the extent of the Deep South states. Therefore, African-Americans were definitely more prominent in the Deep South. Mississippi is the best example.

Eastern Arkansas, the Delta? Producing a lot of Confederate generals, having a general "hillbilly" culture since it's frontier years. How is that not a Southern state?

[JayJayCB]

Originally Posted by Desert kid

Eastern Arkansas, the Delta? Producing a lot of Confederate generals, having a general "hillbilly" culture since it's frontier years. How is that not a Southern state?

That's one area that is more so Deep South, but the whole state overall is Upper South. I'm from NC and it's the same way. Eastern NC is quite Deep South, but the state overall is Upper South. Also, with the exception of Florida, Arkansas had the lowest number of slaves out of all the Confederate states. Slavery and the plantation system wasn't really a driving force behind Arkansas' economy at the time.

[mr.bonze]

I'm a native Mississippian, lived in the NOLA area for a few years in high school. Moved to Charlotte from Jackson, 7 years ago, almost eight actually.

For me, Charlotte is the perfect cultural mix. Lots of native southerners (not a lot of native charlotteans though), and also a lot of transplants from the north. Outside of the two big metro areas, NC still feels very southern to me.

I like that NC is much more progressive than MS. There isn't really anything I long for in MS. Not saying I would never, but I have no plans to ever move back. I also travel to east tn quite a bit, and I'd say its southern, but not in the same way as MS.