South to America A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation

Description

We all think we know the South. But the idiosyncrasies, dispositions, and habits of the region are stranger and more complex than much of the country imagines. This is the story of a Black woman and a native Alabaman returning to the region she has always called home and considering it with fresh eyes. Her journey is full of detours, deep dives, and surprising encounters with places and people. She renders Southerners from all walks of life with sensitivity and honesty, sharing her thoughts about troubling history and the ritual humiliations and joys that characterize so much of Southern life.

Weaving together stories of communities, artists, opportunists, enslaved peoples, unsung heroes, and her lived experiences, Imani Perry crafts a tapestry unlike any other. South to America offers an assertion that if we want to build a more humane future for the United States, we must center our concern below the Mason-Dixon Line.