What Makes The South 'The South'? | AJ+

So much conversation about the South centers around the U.S. Civil War, but the region's identity, politics and power don't just relate to the past.

What it means to be Southern has evolved in the last 40 years. What does that mean for a region that's seeing its political power increase?

Learn more here:

U.S. Census Bureau. “2010 Census Shows Black Population Has Highest Concentration in the South.”

Huffington Post. “Most and Least Christian States in America.”

Encyclopaedia Britannia. “The History of the Confederate States of America.”

Politico. “10 Facts About Secession from U.S.”

New York Times. “Many U.S. Blacks Moving to South, Reversing Trend.”

Southern Poverty Law Center. “Whose Heritage? Public Symbols of the Confederacy.”

Lee Family Digital Archive.

Presented by: Imaeyen Ibanga
Edited by: Brian Joseph
Animations by: Kai Tang
Produced by: Imaeyen Ibanga and Emily Gibson
Executive Producer: Sarah Nasr

Music tracks courtesy of APM and Audio Networks.
Footage and images courtesy of Getty, Reuters, Al Jazeera.

[tokkiemetuitkering]

The farther north you go in Florida, the more south it gets. Because south Florida is its own thing and the Florida keys are almost Caribbean

[edwnx]

my understanding is that the north of Florida is southern, but the south of Florida is not.

[DreamingAstro]

If you can walk down the street, and greet a stranger without issue, you're probably in the south

[TruthNloV]

When my Louisianian parents stopped drinking sweet tea to stave off diabetes it was a sad day in the south

[littlejohnny]

Why doesn't AJ+ do one of these videos about their home base in Qatar? They can celebrate how slavery STILL exists as well as the death penalty for homosexuality. The US south is massively progressive/liberal/advanced compared to the place where AJ+ calls home.

[Ambtran]

West Virginia, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas. That's what I'd consider the south.

[csifresno]

I don’t think that you could understand southern identity from someone whose not a southerner

[serenahughley]

I would’ve appreciated a black southerner speaking on this culture we have in the South. As a Black southerner, I did not feel well-represented by this video.

[OverLordthest]

Lived in Texas whole life and most of us don't consider ourself as the south. Texas is big enough and has enough cultural to consider its self its own.

[mehoyminoy]

“Building their own definition of what it means to be a southerner” hello! Thats is what culture is. It is what lifestyle, values, and traditions a person identifies with not their race or ethnicity...

[mpaige]

Also… FYI … Black southern country people and white southern country people are VERY SIMILAR. Whether they like it or not.

[vinsoriano]

North Florida is considered the south and is pretty much south Georgia. North of Orlando and Tampa is the south culture wise

[reecezpuffs]

i live in georgia and where i live black people are just as equal and we all love each other so it’s just great everyone knows each other it’s just fun

[GD-jcwx]

I love the South. Their accents, their people, the climate, etc.

[milkchug]

I was raised in Florida and it’s definitely the South. It might be progressing and evolving into something of a hybrid, but there is enough of the culture there to qualify it as the South.

[JonesyFit]

Florida IS the south. Born and raised here.

[FlyyScience]

I lived in the south the majority of my life. There's nothing like it :)

[joshuaperkings]

The definition of the South today needs to change and many Americans realize this more than ever because places everyone once thought were the “South” no longer identify with them in terms of economics, politics, culture, commute patterns to name a few. For example Washington DC, Northern VA extending into central Virginia along with Maryland & Delaware strongly associate with the Northeast in terms of almost everything mentioned above. One would be a fool to say the identity and culture of northern Virginia bordering DC is the same “South” as that of east Texas. Furthermore, West Virginia is its own state and has no real association with either the northeast or the south, maybe by politics with the South in recent years but the state has it has its own ‘Appalachian” culture entirely and none of its economic track record fits that of other southern states (high taxes, high state debt, increased spending on welfare programs). Neighboring Kentucky is also similar to WV in that regard but has much more association with the Midwest and upper Midwest including Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. Much of Texas is slowly creeping into the likes of the West coast especially with migration of Californians to places like Austin, San Antonio and Ft. Worth. Florida up until Orlando area retains much of is southern identity but beyond that the culture becomes very homogenous with Hispanic and Caribbean populations along with blends of snowbirds so it really has its on micro cultures at that point. So truly speaking, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, East Texas and North Florida all currently fit the definition of the South in terms of culture, identity, politics, traffic patterns & economy for the most part.

[jersey]

Besides the history of racial division, I think what makes the South "The South" is our culture as a whole. It's the way we talk, the music, southern hospitality, and the best food in the world. I'm from Georgia and have tried different foods around the world, but nothing comes close to a good southern meal. Also, I have to agree the farther north you go in Florida, the more south it gets.

[ald]

The south to me
-Central and south Virginia
-North Caroline
-South Caroline
-Georgia
-Northern Florida
-Tennessee
-Kentucky
-Alabama
-Mississippi
-Louisiana
-Arkansas
-Southern Missouri
-Eastern Texas
-Eastern Oklahoma