One of the central conflicts discussed throughout South to America is the true history of the Southern United States—and America at large—versus the historical narrative most Americans understand. Perry endeavors to showcase how the southern United States has in many ways been transformed into a scapegoat, with the rest of the country using the Civil War and the existence of the Confederacy as proof that racism and racial conflict are primarily Southern concerns. She likens this to a sort of collective myth-making, wherein the United States has crafted its torrid history of racial relations into a clean-cut narrative with defined villains and heroes—the South versus the rest of the country, respectively. In order for the United States to maintain its “heroic self-image,” this was a necessary distinction. However, it has created a fractured national identity that privileges Northern perspectives and prevents people from fully embracing the diversity and ingenuity of the southern United States. Perry calls on readers to dismiss these cultural mythologies and instead embrace the truth laid out in the historical record. This allows the experiences of modern Black Americans living in the South to be understood and celebrated.

On the personal level, the role of self-invention and storytelling becomes more complex. As the daughter of civil rights organizers, Perry has a profound understanding of just how much of a community effort the movement was. However, the predominant cultural narrative has lionized specific individuals—such as Martin Luther King Jr.—while neglecting the broader network of intellectuals, artists, activists, and community organizers who stood alongside them. She refers to this near-mythological status as a sort of “sainthood,” in which a person is—often posthumously—martyrized and softened for more palatable consumption by white society.

However, whereas the tendency of the collective imagination is oversimplification, Perry does expound upon the potential virtues of individual self-invention. While visiting Atlanta, specifically, she notes how the crafting of elaborate celebrity personas allows people to move past the circumstances of their birth while protecting the vulnerable parts of themselves from public scrutiny. While exploring the Appalachian Mountains, she notes how the open and frontier-like environment seems to encourage imagination and self-redefinition. The difference seems to be the source of the narrative. When white society crafts a narrative, it is typically with the goal of perpetuating white supremacy while safeguarding the patriotic image of the United States. By contrast, imagination and self-definition allow Black people to envision their own futures and maintain hope and happiness, even under dismal circumstances.

Race is one of the most complex topics in any discussion of American history, and Perry seeks to teach readers about how the heavily racialized history of the South has influenced race relations throughout the United States. In the Author’s Note preceding South to America, Perry asserts that “the categories, Black and White, were made together.” Blackness and whiteness are not innate traits, but rather a means of classifying people. Whiteness, historically, has granted privilege and prestige within American society, while Blackness has been associated with discrimination and disenfranchisement. These artificial classifications have been built into every institution within the United States, including legal policies, economic relations, and sociocultural norms.

Perry argues that the South is often depicted as the most racist region in the United States. Indeed, its history with slavery and the continued presence of Confederate sentiments makes it an easy target for such accusations. However, racism is not just a Southern problem. Perry notes that many Black Americans actually feel more comfortable in the South, since its racism is both more familiar and more overt. In Northern cities,...

Greed is a defining characteristic of American society, dating back to the earliest days of the colonial era. Cash crops like tobacco and cotton required labor, and wealthy, predominantly white landowners viewed slavery as the most financially beneficial solution. Enslaved people were often viewed as investments rather than human beings, and Perry notes that records of sale are often considered valuable historical documents due to their ability to provide insight into the era and the lives of the enslaved. Human greed also manifests itself in other forms, such as the coal and iron corporations that violently disrupt unionization efforts in Appalachia and beyond. Perry attributes her own autoimmune disorder to the pollution that the Drummond Company has caused in her hometown of Birmingham.

Racism and fear are valuable tools used by the wealthy elite to prevent community organization. White labor activists were often discouraged from collaborating with Black workers out of fear that it would delegitimize their cause. Corporations often redirected the ire of the white working class onto underpaid Black laborers, creating an artificial divide. Mass incarceration and lynchings were employed throughout the Civil Rights Movement to destabilize community organization efforts. These strategies have historically all been deployed in pursuit of the same goal: maintaining the status quo. By creating artificial divides between people and cultivating a climate of fear, wealthy corporations and the white elite can maintain their power. However, Perry notes that resilience is a trait that Black people and those with a passion for freedom have long been cultivating and that there will always be those willing and ready to fight for a better future.