The Agrarian Manifesto

Many state and local history sites and museums offer antiquated interpretations of local and state histories, their specificity mirrors early twentieth century Southern historical analysis, like that of the Twelve Agrarians, focused on an identity outside of the nation and based in romantic, nostalgic notions of regional, state, and local histories. However, key texts in the history and historiography of the twentieth century South, show that understanding the local and regional experiences requires an appreciation of individualism and broader national contexts. The Southern historiography of the twentieth century exemplifies the opportunity for expanding contextual narratives at historic sites and museums. Newer Southern histories place the
As the century passed, the Manifesto gained additional support and focus from historians like C. Vann Woodward. The prevailing notion that a changing South is not necessarily a disappearing South, implies that modernization and nationalization will be filtered through the context of Southern experiences, or the inherited experiences mentioned by Woodward. The years since the publishing of the Agrarian Manifesto, it has become significantly more complicated and challenging to outline “Southerness”. It is no longer possible to limit Southern analysis to agrarianism or the other limited perspectives of the Twelve. The economies, cultures, contexts, and identities have changed, so the analysis must also widen to connect the South to the larger trends in social changes. While distinctive cultural attributes still arise in Southern analysis, for the most part the values, attitudes, tastes, and habits noted by the Agrarians have shifted. While some may bemoan and decry these changes, I argue they have only strengthened the field of Southern studies as it are these changes that set the context for important changes in the historiography of Southern identity. Tera W. Hunter, Mary Hoffeschwele, Louis Kyriakoudes, Thomas Bynum,
Franklin’s works, and progression of essays in this collection, evidence the vital influence of black agency into Southern historiography. In the twentieth century, Franklin would be the first face on the Mt. Rushmore of Southern historiography. Franklin disagrees with the separatist interpretation of the Twelve, and posited, that especially concerning race as a major factor of interpretation, the nationalization impulse created stronger Southern and national identities. Franklin’s essays cover roughly the same time as the Agrarians, but it reads significantly different. Franklin showed that interpretations of the South do not easily follow chronology, as multiple interpretations of Southern identity exist at any one time. Franklin, Dewey Grantham Jr., Woodward, Edward Ayers establish the prevalent tone, rhetoric, and narratives of Southern identity in the twentieth century.
Although it’s a collection of previously published essays, the narratives dot the historiographical timeline of Southern studies throughout the last century following the study interests and life of Franklin during the same time period. Before interdisciplinary practices became a standard for the creation of academic histories, Franklin was espousing deep and broad knowledge of historical subjects and narratives.