Caught “Between Our Moral and Material Selves”: Mississippi’s Elite White “Moderates” and Their Role in Changing Race Relations, 1945-1956

Caught “Between Our Moral and Material Selves”: Mississippi’s Elite White “Moderates” and Their Role in Changing Race Relations, 1945-1956

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sperry, Benjamin O.
Language:English
Published: Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK 2010
Subjects:
American History
Race
Mississippi
post-World War II
whites
moderates
social change
elites
Online Access:http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1270232839
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spelling ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-case12702328392021-08-03T05:33:33Z Caught “Between Our Moral and Material Selves”: Mississippi’s Elite White “Moderates” and Their Role in Changing Race Relations, 1945-1956 Sperry, Benjamin O. American History Race Mississippi post-World War II whites moderates social change elites My dissertation is about the ambiguous process of historical change. I examine a group of conflicted individuals in a dynamic situation – early post-World War II Mississippi – as representative of a broader notion of how change occurs, or does not occur, in a democracy. Specifically, I consider the contribution of a small network of elite white “moderates” that took shape in the state of Mississippi in the years 1945-1956. The network I describe numbers 127 individuals, and among them were a handful of leaders who were particularly significant. Proceeding roughly on a chronological continuum, I explore several cases in which these white Mississippi elites were active. These situations include: the formation of a post-war agenda for the state (1945); the emergence of John C. Stennis as a political leader, replacing Theodore G. Bilbo in the U.S. Senate (1946-1947); the actions of a conservative “progressive” state legislature in Jackson in the face of the national States’ Rights “Dixiecrat” phenomenon (1948-1950); the fostering of industrialization in the state and the gradual reforms at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman (1951-1953); and the issue of academic freedom, especially at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), and an incident of community vigilantism in the Delta town of Tchula (1954-1956). Relying heavily on the papers of several “moderate” figures, such as journalist Hodding Carter and Ole Miss history Prof. James W. Silver, I make the argument that while clinging to essential aspects of continuity and race privilege, these non-reactionary whites were also effective in pushing for a degree of social, economic and political change in Mississippi. 2010-07-06 English text Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1270232839 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1270232839 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.
collection NDLTD
language English
sources NDLTD
topic American History
Race
Mississippi
post-World War II
whites
moderates
social change
elites
spellingShingle American History
Race
Mississippi
post-World War II
whites
moderates
social change
elites
Sperry, Benjamin O.
Caught “Between Our Moral and Material Selves”: Mississippi’s Elite White “Moderates” and Their Role in Changing Race Relations, 1945-1956
author Sperry, Benjamin O.
author_facet Sperry, Benjamin O.
author_sort Sperry, Benjamin O.
title Caught “Between Our Moral and Material Selves”: Mississippi’s Elite White “Moderates” and Their Role in Changing Race Relations, 1945-1956
title_short Caught “Between Our Moral and Material Selves”: Mississippi’s Elite White “Moderates” and Their Role in Changing Race Relations, 1945-1956
title_full Caught “Between Our Moral and Material Selves”: Mississippi’s Elite White “Moderates” and Their Role in Changing Race Relations, 1945-1956
title_fullStr Caught “Between Our Moral and Material Selves”: Mississippi’s Elite White “Moderates” and Their Role in Changing Race Relations, 1945-1956
title_full_unstemmed Caught “Between Our Moral and Material Selves”: Mississippi’s Elite White “Moderates” and Their Role in Changing Race Relations, 1945-1956
title_sort caught “between our moral and material selves”: mississippi’s elite white “moderates” and their role in changing race relations, 1945-1956
publisher Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK
publishDate 2010
url http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1270232839
work_keys_str_mv AT sperrybenjamino caughtbetweenourmoralandmaterialselvesmississippiselitewhitemoderatesandtheirroleinchangingracerelations19451956
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