Southern States
Want to understand the U.S.? This historian says the South holds the key
Imani Perry, a professor of African American studies at Princeton University, was born in Birmingham, Ala., and has always considered it home, even though she moved north as a child. In her new book, South to America, she recounts her travels to the South — its cities, rural areas and historic sites — and reflects on the region's history of slavery and racism.
The 'Very Particular' History Being Presented At Confederate Sites
Journalist Brian Palmer toured several Confederate sites and monuments across the South and found a distorted message that celebrates the Confederacy and often omits the fact of slavery all together.
Director Dee Rees Explores Racism In Post-War Mississippi In 'Mudbound'
Mudbound follows two families — one white and one black — just before, during and after WWII. Rees' experiences growing up in Nashville, Tenn., informed her film. Originally broadcast Nov. 14, 2017.
For Iris DeMent, Music Is The Calling That Forces Her Into The Spotlight
A performance with singer Iris Dement. Her song 'Let the Mystery Be' was used as a theme for the HBO series of 'The Leftovers.' She was born in Arkansas and her music is inspired by the sound of the delta, and the Pentecostal church.
For Iris DeMent, Music Is The Calling That Forces Her Into The Spotlight
DeMent describes herself as extremely shy, but says that "when the songs started coming to me, I felt I didn't have the option to hide and avoid" the stage. Originally broadcast Oct. 21, 2015.
'Reaped' Is A Reminder That No One Is Promised Tomorrow
In Men We Reaped, Jesmyn Ward recalls the deaths of five young men in her life, which she believes were all connected to being poor and black in the rural South. "It made me feel that I wasn't promised some long life. ...That's not a given for me."
Crum: Lee Maynard's 'Love Letter' To His Hometown.
The Scummers is the last installment in Maynard's Crum trilogy. Maynard based Crum, his 1988 semi-autobiographical novel, on his small, poor West Virginia hometown. The people of Crum who know the book tend to love it or hate it. Maynard spoke with Terry Gross in 2003.
Poet Laureate: 'Poetry's Always A Kind Of Faith.'
This week, the Library of Congress announced that Natasha Trethewey, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Native Guard, will be the next poet laureate of the United States. Trethewey, a native of Mississippi, is the first Southern poet laureate since 1986.
Portions of this interview were originally broadcast on July 16, 2007, Jan. 20, 2009 and Aug. 18, 2010.
Looking At The Civil War 150 Years Later.
Tuesday marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the U.S. Civil War. Historian Adam Goodheart explains how national leaders and ordinary citizens across the country responded to the chaos and uncertainty in 1861: The Civil War Awakening.
Walton Goggins: Playing Brother Boyd On 'Justified.'
The Southern actor discusses playing a white supremacist turned born-again Christian on the critically acclaimed FX series Justified — and how he gets into the mind-set to play one of TV's worst bad boys.
This interview was originally broadcast on May 26, 2010. Justified returns for a second season on Fx on February 9, 2011 at 10pm EST.