One thing that I find extremely interesting about how we define the recovery of southern states during the Reconstruction period is that there are a number of responses that can be correct. In history courses we talk about how whites in the South were basically helpless at the initial thought of having to live a life without slavery. However in a documentary called “After Shock: Beyond the Civil War,” a scholar was quoted saying that “many believe the south never really fell.” In the sense that white supremacy has prevailed in our society, I can see how it (the south) never fell. This is interesting though because in History of Black America we talked about how they (southern whites) never really bounced back. In terms of economics, I agree that the south has never fully recovered from the abolition of slavery and what that meant for the southern economy.
These are two very different answer discovered by looking through very different lenses. I think this goes to show the importance of context and perspective because there might very well be many probable responses to a topic like this, all of which are correct, but very much contingent upon the lens through which the subject is being examined.
Interesting blog. White southerners were never “helpless,” particularly since they had the means to build a military and wage a war. Remember, white southerners continued to control land and capital, but now blacks southerners were “freedom,” first-class citizens (men), and potential competitors in the labor market.
But I wonder what period you’re referring to when you write, “white supremacy has prevailed in our society”? Does “our society” refer to now? If that is the case, how do gauge the question of “white supremacy prevailing,” since so much time had passed? White I referred to white southerners, I am only talking about immediately after civil war and the 19th century.