Karen Cox, "Dreaming of Dixie"

Today our normal class discussion was substituted with a lecture by Karen Cox, author of “Dreaming of Dixie: How the South Was Created in American Popular Culture.” Cox combines all forms of media to exhibit how the idea of the South has been wrongly romanticized by, in many cases, northern industries. Film, music, literature, radio, and advertisements for various products have all been used to perpetuate a myth of the Old South. This image of the Old South, as Cox describes, is laced with mansions landscaped with Spanish moss, and filled with charm and hospitality. While the North profited from the exotic myth, race tensions grew, eventually leading to retreat from the romance.
The South developed their own way to profit from the growing tourism industry that had developed in result of Northerners curiosity. The construction of highways and the accessibility of the automobile allowed visitors to travel south and spend their money. Though Cox was unfamiliar with any museums that placed the myth on display, Southerners developed clever ways to give the Northerners the show they wanted, while satisfying their own wallets. Cox described a chauffer who, for a fee, would drive Northerners out into the county to see a cabin that had some sort of history.
Cox uses various examples from historic popular culture. The best received in my opinion is the character of Aunt Jemima. The character was created in New York by the advertisers behind the pancake mix. A “social tableau,” is an advertisement with a hook that seduces its audience with a story. The character of Aunt Jemima worked well, best outside of the South, and she is still around today. Aside from Aunt Jemima, I found it very comical that many Dixie themed songs were written in New York City by Jewish immigrants. Cox uses ample evidence to support he Northern creationism myth.
Karen Cox’s book and discussion relate directly to our class discussions and text. The idea that our perception of the world, in Cox’s case the South, is manipulated by the media, industries, government, money, and institutions (like museums) is something that holds true today. Museums are simply a reflection of the curator, owner, or director’s ideals and taste. Museums will only allow us access to the information that “they” what us to have and process. Unfortunately, in the United States many people look to these institutions to be accurate and democratic. Not to say all museums and institutions are leading the public astray, but I feel it is important to look for more sources of information.