Southern History

The Invisible Empire: The History of the KKK and Why People Joined

The Ku Klux Klan was formed by a group of Confederate soldiers after their defeat in the Civil War. The name derives from the Greek word “kuklos,” meaning “circle." It was organized in 1865-66 in Tennessee by six men as a social, fraternal organization. Originally, it was not meant to be a hate group. As the Klan grew, its ideologies began to shift. Its members were bitter about the disenfranchisement of the South in the Reconstruction Era. Its members saw enemies in the freed blacks, their allies, and the Republican opposition.

Holy Hillbillies!: The Unique Religion of the Appalachias

Speaking in tongues is considered a signal of being baptized in the Holy Spirit. People may also have the gift of interpreting tongues. Some may have convulsions or faint when experiencing the gift of God. Speaking in tongues goes back to Ancient Greece, to the priests of Apollo. It goes back to the Ancient Israelites. Today, it is primarily found in Pentacostal/Charismatic churches.

OPINION PIECE: Race Wars and Peaceful Protests: an Intersectional Profile of Social Change


Southerners Flirtin' with Disaster: The Dixie Highway

I once traveled a similar path as the Dixie Highway. As a Midwestern yankee, my family moved down South when I was about ten years old. We drove from Ohio to Chattanooga, Tennessee, a trip I make at least once a year to visit family up North. Dixie Highway may be an unfamiliar name for some of you. Dixie Highway was a collection of paved roads made in the early 20th century. It was created so those in the Midwest area could easily travel to Florida to vacation. The highway also has the added effect of opening up the South to tourism.