About the book
After the Supreme Court ruled school segregation unconstitutional in 1954, southern white backlash seemed to explode overnight. Journalists profiled the rise of a segregationist movement committed to preserving the “southern way of life” through a campaign of massive resistance. In Defending White Democracy, Jason Morgan Ward reconsiders the origins of this white resistance, arguing that southern conservatives began mobilizing against civil rights some years earlier, in the era before World War II, when the New Deal politics of the mid-1930s threatened the monopoly on power that whites held in the South.
As Ward shows, years before “segregationist” became a badge of honor for civil rights opponents, many white southerners resisted racial change at every turn — launching a preemptive campaign aimed at preserving a social order that they saw as under siege. By the time of the Brown decision, segregationists had amassed an arsenal of tested tactics and arguments to deploy against the civil rights movement in the coming battles. Connecting the racial controversies of the New Deal era to the more familiar confrontations of the 1950s and 1960s, Ward uncovers a parallel history of segregationist opposition that mirrors the new focus on the long civil rights movement and raises troubling questions about the enduring influence of segregation’s defenders.
Editions of Defending White Democracy
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807835135
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469613871
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807869222
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469602547
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890885838
Read an Excerpt
After the Supreme Court ruled school segregation unconstitutional in 1954, southern white backlash seemed to explode overnight. Journalists profiled the rise of a segregationist movement committed to preserving the “southern way of life” through a campaign of massive resistance. In Defending White Democracy, Jason Morgan Ward reconsiders the origins of this white resistance, arguing that southern conservatives began mobilizing against civil rights some years earlier, in the era before World War II, when the New Deal politics of the mid-1930s threatened the monopoly on power that whites held in the South.
As Ward shows, years before “segregationist” became a badge of honor for civil rights opponents, many white southerners resisted racial change at every turn — launching a preemptive campaign aimed at preserving a social order that they saw as under siege. By the time of the Brown decision, segregationists had amassed an arsenal of tested tactics and arguments to deploy against the civil rights movement in the coming battles. Connecting the racial controversies of the New Deal era to the more familiar confrontations of the 1950s and 1960s, Ward uncovers a parallel history of segregationist opposition that mirrors the new focus on the long civil rights movement and raises troubling questions about the enduring influence of segregation’s defenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Defending White Democracy about?
After the Supreme Court ruled school segregation unconstitutional in 1954, southern white backlash seemed to explode overnight. Journalists profiled the rise of a segregationist movement committed to preserving the “southern way of life” through a campaign of massive resistance. In Defending White Democracy, Jason Morgan Ward reconsiders the origins of this white resistance, arguing that southern conservatives began mobilizing against civil rights some years earlier, in the era before World War II, when the New Deal politics of the mid-1930s threatened the monopoly on power that whites held in the South.
As Ward shows, years before “segregationist” became a badge of honor for civil rights opponents, many white southerners resisted racial change at every turn — launching a preemptive campaign aimed at preserving a social order that they saw as under siege. By the time of the Brown decision, segregationists had amassed an arsenal of tested tactics and arguments to deploy against the civil rights movement in the coming battles. Connecting the racial controversies of the New Deal era to the more familiar confrontations of the 1950s and 1960s, Ward uncovers a parallel history of segregationist opposition that mirrors the new focus on the long civil rights movement and raises troubling questions about the enduring influence of segregation’s defenders.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Defending White Democracy?
Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Ethnic studies / Ethnicity
Where can I read a sample of Defending White Democracy?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807835135
How long is Defending White Democracy and how many pages does it have?
Defending White Democracy has 264 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Defending White Democracy?
Jason Morgan Ward
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Defending White Democracy is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807835135) and paperback(ISBN 9781469613871) and ebook(ISBN 9780807869222) and ebook(ISBN 9781469602547) and ebook(ISBN 9798890885838)
Where can I buy Defending White Democracy online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Defending White Democracy from below
Where can I buy Defending White Democracy?