AN EPITAPH FOR DIXIE

by Harry S. Ashmore ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 10, 1957

Had this come before the Little Rock explosion, it would have been hailed as a sound middle-of-the-road presentation of the South's dilemma, a charting of the probable path to orderly desegregation, and a plea for reason and moderation to prevail. But coming now, with an up-to-the minute appraisal of the current situation, it will serve chiefly to clarify the issues, analyze the psychological, the economic and the social factors, and stress the might have been. For Ashmore, a controversial figure since his role in the survey of the dual school system and the publication of his The Negro and the Schools (Univ. of N. Ca. Press- 1954)- and now editor of the liberal, courageous Arkansas Gazette still shares the moral dilemma of intellectuals, writers, editors, educators, of the South, but he has avoided the passive attitude all too characteristic of the majority of well-meaning Southerners. No peace is possible while racists' propaganda campaigns grow, and spread their irrational, spurious doctrines. The cost of delay- as the South temporizes- is economic and social. He analyzes the climate of opinion, historically, from the Civil War, through the Reconstruction, as slavery gave way to share cropping, one party politics, separate but questionably ""equal"" education. Inevitably, it bore fruit in discontent, in demagogery. Industry moved South; the Negroes' status improved; but leadership was lacking. Then came the Supreme Court decision, and later the implementation with its wise provision for flexibility, provided there was evidence of good faith. But a new political pattern emerged, even as educators began planning. Virginia led the way. ""When responsible men default irresponsible men take over"" and there emerged a remarkable collection of restrictive laws, engineered by a political minority, and met with apathy by an indifferent majority. Ashmore's analysis of the Southern mentality; his understanding but perceptive portrait of the decay of Southern aristocracy; of Southern mysticism, composed of prejudice, pride, chauvinism, defensiveness and fear; his recognition of the failure of the Negro to exercise his rights, which he is ill equipped to implement-all add up to a background for the demagogues, the Cotton Ed Smiths- relatively innocuous; the Talmadges, the Bilbos, the Eastlands. Even so, he sees the Southern politicos as superior on the national and international level to the state level. The legislatures he pictures as the happy hunting ground of the interests. Southern businessmen and industrialists recognize their need for the Negro as customers, as labor forces- and are against race riots on largely selfish grounds.... Ashmore is sanguine in the long range view. He recognizes the newness of financial security, the new drive for public tax supported education -- and does not think this will be discarded in defending the right to be wrong. But he recognizes that creating a new social order may take a generation as guerrilla fighting (such as emerges here and there) stems the tide of progress. Ultimately, the Old South must yield to the New. An arresting book.

Pub Date: Jan. 10, 1957

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Norton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1957

Categories: NONFICTION