This volume of
The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture
addresses the cultural, social, and intellectual terrain of myth,
manners, and historical memory in the American South. Evaluating
how a distinct southern identity has been created, recreated, and
performed through memories that blur the line between fact and
fiction, this volume paints a broad, multihued picture of the
region seen through the lenses of belief and cultural practice.
The 95 entries here represent a substantial revision and expansion
of the material on historical memory and manners in the original
edition. They address such matters as myths and memories
surrounding the Old South and the Civil War; stereotypes and
traditions related to the body, sexuality, gender, and family (such
as debutante balls and beauty pageants); institutions and places
associated with historical memory (such as cemeteries, monuments,
and museums); and specific subjects and objects of myths, including
the Confederate flag and Graceland. Together, they offer a
compelling portrait of the "southern way of life" as it has been
imagined, lived, and contested.