The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 71, July 1967 - April, 1968 Page: 653
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Book Reviews
a few peaceful demonstrators; in Philadelphia, Mississippi, a grand
jury indicted eighteen white men, including the local sheriff and his
deputy, for the murder of three civil rights workers; while in Alabama,
Mississippi, and Louisiana federal registrars were diligently enroll-
ing thousands of Negroes. In fact, throughout the South a change
from the "Old" to the "New" was increasingly apparent; southerners
were breaking away from the past, from an agrarian culture and an
outmoded political system, from tradition and folklore.
In The South Since Appomattox, "Colonel" Tom Clark and Al
Kirwan, eminent historians at the University of Kentucky, have clearly
explained the transition and changes which have occurred. Because
of their understanding and knowledge of this field, they have been
able to analyze thoroughly the many facets of southern life, particu-
larly the political, economic, and social aspects. For instance, after dis-
cussing the traditional methods of "keeping the Negro in his place," of
winning elections by damning the black and baiting the rich, of affect-
ing national legislation through seniority and the filibuster, they
have shown how the growth of the Republican Party, the demands for
equal education, and the increase of federal activities have altered the
traditional patterns and disrupted the status quo.
To them the New Deal initiated the revolution so prominent in the
South today. Numerous agricultural reforms released the farmer from
the shackles of the one-crop system, tenancy, inadequate education,
and poverty. TVA provided such marvelous advantages as cheap
electricity and fertilizer, water transportation, and flood control.
Relief programs such as the CCC and the WPA created thousands
of jobs for both white and black. And the NIRA eliminated such
evils as child labor, while at the same time setting higher standards
for employment. Even the Supreme Court had a profound effect, not
just by upholding New Deal legislation after 1937 but by ruling
certain discriminatory state laws unconstitutional.
Since Clark and Kirwan have concentrated mainly upon the Deep
South, Texans may be somewhat disappointed with the attention
given their state. They will, however, find The South Since Appo-
mattox extremely valuable and rewarding. The research is thorough,
the style excellent, the analysis penetrating. In fact, for those who
seek a better understanding of southern life since 1865, this history-
clear and concise-will be a "must."Texas Christian University
653
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 71, July 1967 - April, 1968, periodical, 1968; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117145/m1/719/: accessed April 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.