The American South : commemoration, sectionalism & nationalism in the post-Civil War Era
This study analyses post-Civil War reunion and reconciliation, using white Southern engagement with commemorative activity as a lens through which to explore the tensions that lay behind the development of a post-Civil War American identity. It presents Fourth of July celebrations in the Reconstruction-Era South as highly politicized contested spaces and demonstrates that resumption of white Southern celebration of the Fourth was contingent on the political success of the Democratic Party. The Centennial Exhibition of 1876, a worldâs fair celebrating one hundred years of American independence, provides the thesisâ central case study. The thesis demonstrates that discourse around the Exhibition reflected the fractured state of American nationalism in the 1870s. Some Southerners dismissed the Centennial outright, others engaged with it conditionally and pragmatically but this ostensibly unifying and celebratory fair served as an arena for reflecting deep sectional and partisan divisions. Running alongside this is a parallel narrative focused on African Americans. The thesis will examine, in a comparative light, African Americansâ engagement with national identity, and their use of commemoration to stake
Noe, Jack Daniel
The American South : commemoration, sectionalism & nationalism in the post-Civil War Era. This study analyses post-Civil War reunion and reconciliation, using white Southern engagement with commemorative activity as a lens through which to explore the tensions that lay behind the development of a post-Civil War American identity. It presents Fourth of July celebrations in the Reconstruction-Era South as highly politicized contested spaces and demonstrates that resumption of white Southern celebration of the Fourth was contingent on the political success of the Democratic Party. The Centennial Exhibition of 1876, a worldâs fair celebrating one hundred years of American independence, provides the thesisâ central case study. The thesis demonstrates that discourse around the Exhibition reflected the fractured state of American nationalism in the 1870s. Some Southerners dismissed the Centennial outright, others engaged with it conditionally and pragmatically but this ostensibly unifying and celebratory fair served as an arena for reflecting deep sectional and partisan divisions. Running alongside this is a parallel narrative focused on African Americans. The thesis will examine, in a comparative light, African Americansâ engagement with national identity, and their use of commemoration to stake
american south commemoration nationalism post civil war era study analyse post civil_war reconciliation use white southern engagement commemorative activity lens explore tension lay_behind development post civil_war american_identity present celebration reconstruction era south highly contested space demonstrate resumption white southern celebration fourth contingent political success democratic party exhibition world fair celebrate american independence provide central case_study demonstrates discourse around exhibition reflect fractured state american nationalism dismiss outright others engage pragmatically ostensibly unify fair serve arena reflect deep partisan division running alongside parallel narrative focused african_americans examine comparative light african_americans engagement national_identity use commemoration stake