Bridgewater of Virginia

• History of the South (HIS 362)

• Fall, 96-97

• Dr. Longenecker

• Assignment on Southern Distinctiveness

A Distinctive South?

National and Regional Attitudes about Race

Source: Washington Post, July 14-17, 1996

SpeechSpeech

When you were growing up, did your parents teach you:

South Others0

20

40

60

80

100

South Others

'sir" and "madam"

to call grownupsMr. and Mrs. andnot to use their firstname

Interviewers coded at the end of the survey whether respondents spoke with a southern accent. Here’s what thay found:

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Strong southernaccent

Detectable

No southern accent

How often do you hear people say:

Might Could

Y'all

Fixin' to

0 20 40 60 80

Might Could

Y'all

Fixin' to

Others

South

Religion

Do you consider yourself as evangelical or Born-again

Christian? Percentage ansering yes.

2nd Qtr0

10

20

30

40

50

2nd Qtr

South

Others

“The United States is a Christian Country, and the government should make laws to keep it that way.”

Percentage answering “yes.”

2nd Qtr0

10

20

30

40

50

2nd Qtr

South

Others

Jesus will return to earth one day.Percentage answering “yes.”

2nd Qtr0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2nd Qtr

South

Others

Is the devil real? Percentage answering “yes.”

65 70 75 80 85

2nd QtrOthers

South

Are angels real? Percentage answering “yes.”

2nd Qtr68

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

84

2nd Qtr

South

Others

Which of these statements comes closest to describing your feelings about the Bible: the Bible is the actual word of godand is to be take literally, word for word; the Bible is the

inspired word of god but not everything in it should be taken literally, word for word; or the bible is an anciety book of fables, legends, history and mormoral precepts recorded by men?

0 10 20 30 40 50

South

Others

Others

Fables

Inspired Word

Word of God

Percentage who would remove an anti-religious book from the

library.

2nd Qtr0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

2nd Qtr

South

Others

Percentage who would prohibit someone who actively opposed religion to teach in a college or university.

2nd Qtr38

40

42

44

46

48

50

2nd Qtr

South

Others

Attitudes about RaceAttitudes about Race

•How big a problem is racism in our society today?

Big problem

Somewhat of aprobelm

Small problem

Not a problem

0% 20% 40% 60%

Big problem

Somewhat of aprobelm

Small problem

Not a problem

In the South

In the Nation asa whole

•Do you think racism is a bigger problem or smaller problem in the South than it is in other parts of the country?

Biggerproblem

Smallerproblem

0% 50% 100%

Biggerproblem

Smallerproblem

In the South

In the Nationas a whole

•Are you in favor of integration, strict segregation, or something in-between?

Integration

Strict segregation

Something in-between

0% 20% 40% 60%

Integration

Strict segregation

Something in-between

In the South

Non-South

•Agree or disagree. There should be no offical use of the Confederate flag by state and local governments. (Shown

percentage who agree)

Overall

Whites

Blacks

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Overall

Whites

Blacks

In the South

Out side the South

Do you think that the1954 Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board, was right or wrong?

Right Wrong0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Right Wrong

Southerners

Others

EducationEducation

Do you think that integrated schools are necessary to insure that all students have an equal chance at a good education, or is integration not as important as making

sure that each community or neighborhood school provides good education?

Integration

necess

Integration notimporta

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Integration

necess

Integration notimporta

Southerners

Others

Which region do you think has the best schools?

0 10 20 30 40 50

Northeast

South

Midwest

Far West

Others

Southerners

Economic LevelsEconomic Levels

Educational LevelsHigh School Diplomas

1960 19950

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1960 1995

South

U.S.

Educational LevelsCollege Degrees

1960 3rd Qtr0

5

10

15

20

25

1960 3rd Qtr

South

United States

Cost of LivingMedian Family Income, in thousands

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

South

Midwest

West

Northeast

U.S.

Cost of LivingMedian Sales Price of a New House, in thousands

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

South

Midwest

West

Northeast

U.S.