Tennessee has its own unique culture, which is rooted in its long traditions developing throughout the history of the US. Starting from the Spanish explorers, who moved the Cherokee population to the south and continued by other European settlers sidelining the Confederates, Tennessee was the last state to give women the right to vote and continued to suppress African Americans long after the Emancipation Proclamation (Scott). Nowadays, Tennessee mainly relies on agriculture and is considered to be one of the most conservative states in the US. Despite its rich cultural history, the state became an object of lots of stereotypes and misconceptions.
Among many values and symbols of the southern Tennessee culture, some deserve the most attention since they can be assessed as defining and distinguishing Tennessee culture from others. First of all, Tennessee is sometimes referred to as the unofficial music capital of the world since it gave rise to a number of worldwide known musicians. Moreover, it is the capital of country music, which is one of the most popular genres of music among Americans these days (Tennessee History, Language, and Culture). Tennessee hosts an enormous amount of country music festivals; however, its scene also includes other artists more attractive to the young population. Justin Timberlake, for instance, is from Tennessee and is a frequent guest at local festivals. Being the birthplace of such music icons as Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton, music is a unique cultural trait rooted in the history of the state.
Secondly, southern Tennessee is well-known for other cultural traits and symbols, which is an enormous passion for football. State rivalries between several football teams have become a byword in the US for a long time. In the midst of football season, thousands of people can be seen on the streets wearing their teams’ colors (mostly orange). Tennesseans love football, and during weekends, the most popular place for gatherings is the local high school or college matches. The most famous football symbol of the Tennessee state is “Rocky Top,” a song performed in the 1970s during one of the matches (Scott). After that, it became an unofficial anthem and fight song of one of the Tennessean teams, the Volunteers, and sometimes is played more than 40 times during the match.
Aside from the unique features of a rich Tennessean culture, there are many misconceptions and stereotypes about southern Tennessee. Some of them stem from Tennessee’s historical and societal perspectives; some of them follow the issues mentioned above, such as a passion for football. While a number of misconceptions are harmless and minor, others are true, can be offensive, and cause problems, especially nowadays.
One of the most exaggerated stereotypes about southern Tennessee stems from the history of the state. Since Tennessee was one of the last states to abolish slavery, and even after that, continued to deprive African Americans in many spheres (by not paying them well, ignoring their healthcare, etc.), the issue of bigotry and racism is still hanging over the state (Scott). It is further exaggerated by the rumors that Ku Klux Klan cells are still active in southern Tennessee. Tennessee is, true, quite a conservative state. However, it is not the center of the racist culture and the hotbed of bigotry. Indeed, there are some advocates of ‘Make America White Again’ from southern Tennessee, but it is not a part of the culture and one of the greatest misconceptions about Tennesseans in general.
Another great stereotype about southern Tennessee and nearby states is the low intellectual development of Tennesseans. It seems obscure for the 21st century, but it is still an issue, and many people do believe that Tennesseans are dumb and goofy. What these people forget is that Tennessee is the birthplace of many famous scientists and cultural icons. From the aforementioned Elvis Presley to Nikki Giovanni, Mark Den, and others, Tennesseans are on the same level as other people, and misconceptions about the “dumb southern Tennessean” are absolutely out of place in the modern world.
Less insulting, but still a big stereotype connected to southern Tennessee culture is the excessive religiosity of the people. Indeed, Tennessee is a predominantly Christian state, where religion is important for the local population; however, more people, especially in the bigger towns, are becoming less religious. Still, the majority of Tennesseans can be found in the local church on Sundays, especially in the rural areas, but it is becoming some kind of societal tradition rather than strict adherence to religion.
Southern Tennessee culture is historically deep and has many milestones worth admiring. It is the unofficial musical capital of the world and the state of the most passionate football fans. This culture can be considered a significant part of my identity; however, at the same time, due to the lots of stereotypes, sometimes it is hard to represent this culture. The issue of racism, so crucial in modern-day America, is particularly important since sometimes people do not want to understand that not everyone from southern Tennessee is a bigot and racist. People from the culture of south Tennessee are not all the same, their culture is unique, and it does not fit the misconceptions that are widely spread even nowadays.
Works Cited
Scott, Evelyn. Background in Tennessee. Univ. of Tennessee Press, 2021.
“Tennessee History, Language, and Culture.” World Travel Guide.