Resistance to Reconstruction in the South w/ George Bagby

Thomas Pegram's '100% American' examines the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1910s and 1920s, analyzing how the organization capitalized on national anxieties about immigration, modernity, and changing social norms. Pegram explores the Klan's organizational growth, ideological appeals, political influence, and eventual fragmentation and decline across American communities. The book situates the Klan within broader cultural and political processes, showing how local chapters connected to national movements and how leaders used populist rhetoric. Pegram uses archival sources to trace the Klan’s activities and influence on public policy, revealing complexities beyond simple caricatures. The work is regarded as a careful, balanced scholarly treatment of the Klan’s twentieth-century incarnation.

This book describes the society and institutions that were affected during the Civil War and Reconstruction in Alabama. It emphasizes the social and economic problems, as well as the educational, religious, and industrial aspects of the period. The work begins with an account of ante-bellum conditions and the effect of the Civil War on these institutions, and it details the internal conditions in Alabama during the war period, which significantly influenced the course of Reconstruction. The book also stresses the segregation of the races within the state and covers various aspects such as military operations, political events, and the reconstruction efforts in schools and churches.

In 'The Strange Career of Jim Crow', C. Vann Woodward explores the historical development of racial segregation in the American South. Published in 1955, the book argues that segregation was not a natural outcome of the Civil War but rather a political tool employed by Southern whites in the late 19th century to regain power. Woodward examines significant Supreme Court rulings, such as Plessy v. Ferguson, which entrenched the 'separate but equal' doctrine. He details the degrading effects of Jim Crow laws on African Americans and highlights the resistance and non-violent protests that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The book is hailed as a landmark in American race relations and was instrumental in shaping the civil rights movement.

In this book, Genovese examines the complex relationships between slaves and slaveholders, focusing on the paternalistic framework that governed their interactions. He argues that this system, while oppressive, also allowed slaves to create their own communities, cultures, and forms of resistance. The book delves into various aspects of slave life, including family structures, religious practices, and forms of resistance such as feigning illness or running away. Genovese's work challenges simplistic views of slavery by showing how slaves maintained their humanity and agency within the oppressive system.