The civil rights movement was not only a struggle to win freedom and equality for African Americans. It went far deeper than that, as it also reshaped the lives of white southerners and shook the very foundations of southern society. It transformed electoral politics, challenged deep-rooted racial attitudes, and upended everyday practices. Thus, it constituted an interracial revolution. This seminar explores the impact of the civil rights movement on ordinary white southerners. It focuses on a series of case studies, including: the history of school integration in the New Orleans public schools as well as at the University of Georgia; the impact of the 1964 Civil Rights Act on southern restaurants and businesses; and the rise of black politics in rural areas like Greene County, Alabama.
Webinars