What is Southern Hospitality?
I sat for a long period of time and struggled to come up with an idea or topic about the South or the Southern culture — or rather struggled to conjure an idea or topic that reflected both in a positive light. Honestly, I never thought much about the South outside of the stigmas attached to it: the stigmas portrayed in the history books and throughout media outlets when it comes to the long history of problematic race relations that plague the South. While attending grade school through high school in New Jersey, the only time I heard about the South was during Black History Month. Films would focus on the harsh treatment of Blacks at the hand of Whites throughout the different Southern states. The only positive thing about the South was Martin Luther King Jr. and a few other Black leaders that stood up for Blacks. The most positive spin on the South and its culture that I have seen was portrayed in the Stephen Fry segments film shown during Thursday’s class period; however, it still incited some concerns within me.
Two interviews in the Stephen Fry segments prompted me to think on Southern culture. The first interview was with an older white lady who expressed that she came from a family line of slave owners and how when the slaves were declared free, the slaves continued to work for her family: they just became paid workers. She claimed that the Whites and the Blacks got along just perfect. The family then invited Stephen Fry in for supper. What shocked me was the smile on the lady’s face as she talked about the contentment of the Blacks that worked for her family. It made me think, if Whites and Black got along so well, why end slavery? Was the smile on her face as she told her story of race contentment a part of Southern Hospitality? After all, she did smile as she told her story — she had such a welcoming smile. The second interview was with a lady of pure African decent. She expressed that the Confederate flag did not bother her and that her students in the classroom who wore such a garment regarded her as their best teacher. She claimed that the Confederate flag did nothing more than reflect heritage and pride and was not a sign of racism. I thought to myself — is the Confederate flag a sign of Southern Hospitality?
These interviews made me feel that the Southern culture is more complicated than portrayed to a larger audience. After some thought, I believe I will continue to explore Southern Hospitality and whether it is real or a myth. I find myself pondering several questions. Is Southern Hospitality a dated concept and if so, what did it signify? What does Southern Hospitality mean today? Is the significance of Southern Hospitality determined by proximity to rural or urban areas? These are my start up questions that I believe will lead me in the right direction.
