Southern Stereotypes
This beverage is commonly enjoyed by Southerners and often used as a symbol of Southern culture.
What is sweet tea?
This visual symbol is often misused to represent Southern pride but is rooted in the Confederacy.
What is the Confederate flag?
This term refers to the use of signs to influence public perception and convey arguments (Moss lectures)
What is rhetoric?
Heavily present in Memphis, this genre of music originated in the South and is shaped by African American culture. (Wikipedia)
What is the blues?
This pleasurable, rich Southern breakfast food allowed our ancestors the carbs and calories needed to go about their workday. (Reconstructing Southern Rhetoric 2021)
What is biscuits and gravy?
This phrase is often used to disguise insults or stereotypes under the guise of politeness.
What is "bless your heart?"
This war lasting from 1861-1865 is often misunderstood as being solely about states' rights rather than slavery. (Wikipedia)
What is the Civil War?
An example of this might be the Civil Rights Museum or Stax.
What is public memory?
This country music legend was born and raised in Tennessee Appalachia, even creating a self-branded theme park near her hometown. (Wikipedia)
Who is Dolly Parton?
This infamous Civil War general had his statue removed from Memphis' Health and Science park in 2017. (The Associated Press 2021)
Who is Nathan Bedford Forrest?
This piece of cookware is known for making cornbread and being passed down through generations (Reconstructing Southern Rhetoric 2021)
What is the cast iron skillet?
This mountain range stretches across 13 states, from Mississippi all the way up to Canada. (Wikipedia)
What are the Appalachian mountains?
This term refers to the way bordered and built areas, like courthouses or town squares, communicate values and history. (Moss lectures)
What is place?
Founded in an era of cultural resistance, this famous Memphis music studio allowed many music stars, including Elvis Presley, the start to their career. (Reconstructing Southern Rhetoric 2021)
What is Sun Studios?
This memoir written by J.D. Vance incorrectly paints Appalachian citizens as violent and slovenly despite Vance never residing in Appalachia. (Keep Your Elegy)
What is Hillbilly Elegy?
Traditionally a young, white woman, this title is often given to someone who's charming, graceful, and has an emphasis on manners and hospitality.
What is the 'Southern Belle?'
This Southern city was the site of a major 1960s civil rights campaign and church bombing. (National Park Service 2023)
What is Birmingham?
This term uses refers to the open and unspecified areas in which rhetoric provides identity. (Moss lecture)
What is space?
This television series starring Rutina Wesley and Dawn-Lyen Gardner helped challenge stereotypes of Black Southern life. (David Canfield 2016)
What is Queen Sugar?
This memorial confronts the history of racial violence while questioning assumptions about Black Southerners. (Reconstructing Southern Rhetoric 2021)
What is the National Memorial for Peace and Justice?
This title often unfairly portrays Appalachian people as violent, poor, and uneducated. (Reconstructing Southern Rhetoric 2021)
What is "hillbilly?"
This term represents the African Americans that dwell in Appalachian that have developed their own culture and traditions. (Erin Bass 2024)
What is 'affrilachia?'
This Southern term, often used in branding or identity, is based on antebellum nostalgia and is noticeably whitewashed. (Reconstructing Southern Rhetoric 2021)
What is Southern Heritage?
This music genre blends traditional Southern roots with modern day rap culture. (Jewel Wicker 2023)
What is Atlanta hip-hop?
This Southern city is home to The Equal Justice Initiative and Legacy Museum. (Rosanna Smith 2019)
What is Montgomery?