Introduction
Following the Reconstruction era in the United States, southern leaders began promoting the concept of a “New South.” The idea was to rebuild and modernize the southern economy and culture and to move away from the agricultural-based economy that had dominated the region for centuries. These leaders recognized that the South needed to adapt and make alterations to keep up with the rest of the country. This essay will discuss how the “New South” concept greatly shaped the economic environment of the South, making significant changes to the laws and policies. Nonetheless, political and cultural changes did not take place in the new movement, leaving racial apartheid.
Economic, Political, and Cultural Changes of the New South
Two of the notable changes in the New South were the promotion of democracy and the “better” rights of African Americans. Freedpeople now had a chance to get full citizenship rights, vote, and continue life peacefully. According to Document 3 by Grady (1886), the New South presented a flawless form of democracy. Many white Southerners recognized that the region needed to move forward and adapt to the changing times and that this required a more inclusive and equitable society.
The African American population also continued to push for their rights, and many individuals and organizations worked tirelessly to promote greater equality and social justice. However, a lot of white Americans did not want to accept the new movement and even opposed it. Whites were terrified of the idea of equal rights with the “past slaves,” and their rage led to the horrible acts of lynching (Wright & Locke, 2019). According to Document 5 by Wells-Barnett (1900), men and women, usually of different races, who were often killed by mobs each year, received the most media attention. They even segregated school children by white and colored races (Document 4, Selections from Mississippi State Constitution, 1890).
Economically, in the New South, several policies were made to develop the region and move it towards industrial advancement. The new technologies, industries, and investments would physically reconstruct the South (Wright & Locke, 2019). However, it should be noted that according to Document 7, a Map showing the distribution of Rural and Urban Population by region in the United States (1935), most of the South was still in the rural areas.
Nevertheless, the “traditional” agricultural side of the South was undergoing development as well. Changes included fifty dwellings for every palace, 100 farms for every plantation, and a diverse economy that could accommodate the various demands of the complex era (Document 3, Grady, 1886). As new industries rose in the New South, so did the new jobs and employment opportunities. This gave poor rural people a chance to maintain their daily lives. African Americans were accommodated in dangerous and low-paying jobs, while whites held higher-ranking positions (Wright & Locke, 2019). Because of that, African Americans were always poorer than even underclass whites.
Conclusion
The “New South” brought significant changes to the region from 1865 to 1920. Politically, culturally, and economically, the South underwent a transformation that would shape its identity for decades to come. Especially from the economic side, the South was developing through new industries, urbanization, and new employment opportunities.
However, from political and cultural perspectives, the South was underdeveloped: the racial problems still took place and got even worse. The new policies regarding races and freedpeople led to the rise of lynching and oppressive white groups of racists. The economic segregation was still significant, leaving people of other races poor.
References
Wright, B., & Locke, J. L. (2019). The American Yawp: A massively collaborative open US history textbook, Vol. 1: To 1877. Stanford University Press. Web.