Elsewhere in the country, the American South can be viewed with a kind of otherness. Our region’s identity is often characterized by old stereotypes from our racist history.
Of course, the story of the South is much more complex. Author Imani Perry believes that misunderstanding the South mischaracterizes the nation.
Perry calls herself a Southerner in exile, and in her latest book “South to America,” she returns to her roots.
Part memoir, part travelogue, her thoughtful inspection of the South provides an honest portrait of our region. She says that by understanding the South’s history, we can better understand the soul of America itself.
Imani Perry shares more with guest host Erik Spanberg.
Guest
Imani Perry, Hughes Rogers Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and author of “South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation”
