Southern hospitality is a phrase used in American English to describe a cultural stereotype of the Southern United States, with residents perceived to show kindness, warmth, and welcoming of visitors to their homes, or to the South in general.
Although Southerners from all walks of life have been perceived as friendly for centuries, some like the writer Anthony Szczesiul claim that Southern hospitality "first existed as a narrowly defined body of social practices among the antebellum planters classes".[1] As such, the origin of the practice was intimately tied to slavery. One analysis notes:
African Americans had little place in this initial conceptualization of hospitality beyond the role of servant. Yet, it was the labor and hardships of the enslaved that allowed southern planters to entertain their guests so lavishly and seemingly so effortlessly. Southern hospitality from and for whites was in large part achieved by being inhospitable and inhumane to African Americans.[2]
Over time however, the concept "developed into a discourse that stretches far beyond the image of the planter class", and the principles of Southern hospitality were eventually adopted by non-planter class and Southern African Americans as well, and incorporated into materials used to advertise destinations in the South to other African American tourists.[2] The concept of Southern hospitality has also been examined as a reflection of the religious beliefs of the region; the idea that one should be good to strangers is an outgrowth of such Biblical parables as the Good Samaritan.[3] Early travel writer Ernest Hamlin Abbott wrote in 1902, "as religious observances are in the South as naturally included in the hospitality of the home as anything else, so, conversely, hospitality in the South is an integral part of the church services".[4]
Featuresedit
Some characteristics of Southern hospitality were described as early as 1835, when Jacob Abbott attributed the poor quality of taverns in the South to the lack of need for them, given the willingness of Southerners to provide for strangers.[5] Abbott writes:
[T]he hospitality of southerners is so profuse, that taverns are but poorly supported. A traveler, with the garb and the manners of a gentleman, finds a welcome at every door. A stranger is riding on horseback through Virginia or Carolina. It is noon. He sees a plantation, surrounded with trees, a little distance from the road. Without hesitation he rides to the door. The gentleman of the house sees his approach and is ready upon the steps.[5]
Abbott further describes how the best stores of the house are at the disposal of visitors.[5] Furthermore, says Abbott:
Conversation flows cheeringly, for the southern gentleman has a particular tact in making a guest happy. After dinner you are urged to pass the afternoon and night, and if you are a gentleman in manners and information, your host will be in reality highly gratified by your so doing. Such is the character of southern hospitality.[5]
More recently, Tara McPherson writes about the representation of "tradition and manners" as "the glue that binds the South together, distinguishing it from other regions",[6] going on to say that:
This is a familiar mantra, one linked to the "famous" southern hospitality capitalized on by many of the tourist attractions... Contemporary fascinations with the "grandeur" of the Old South depend on a certain sense of decorum, and this genteel mise-en-scene of southernness is constructed via a carefully manipulated stage set of moonlight, magnolias, and manners. White southerners frequently stress the importance of keeping up appearances; for example, in her Womenfolks: Growing Up Down South, popular writer Shirley Abbot describes the "natural theatricality" inherent in southern hospitality. It requires "a talent for taking on a special role in a comedy of manners that will apparently run forever, no matter how transparent its characters and aims". This maintenance of an aura of tranquility despite a certain degree of transparency suggests that southern hospitality is a performance, a masquerade, an agreed-on social fiction, albeit a powerful one with material effects.[6]
Food figures highly in Southern hospitality, a large component of the idea being the provision of Southern cuisine to visitors. A cake or other delicacy is often brought to the door of a new neighbor as a mechanism of introduction. Many club and church functions include a meal or at least a dessert and beverage. Churches in the South frequently have large commercial style kitchens to accommodate this tradition, but many "fellowship suppers" are "covered dish": everyone attending brings a dish. However, if a newcomer arrives without a dish, he or she will be made to feel welcome and served generously. When a death or serious illness occurs, neighbors, friends, and church members generally bring food to the bereaved family for a period of time. A number of cookbooks promise recipes advancing this concept.[7]
^Anthony Szczesiul, "Re-mapping southern hospitality: discourse, ethics, politics", European Journal of American Culture (2007), Issue 26, p. 127.
^ abDerek H. Alderman and E. Arnold Modlin Jr., "Southern hospitality and the politics of African American belonging: an analysis of North Carolina tourism brochure photographs", Journal of Cultural Geography (December, 2012).
^Anthony Szczesiul, The Southern Hospitality Myth: Ethics, Politics, Race, and American Memory (2017), p. 216.
^Abbott, Ernest Hamlin (1902). Religious Life in America: A Record of Personal Observation. Outlook Company. p. 111.
^ abcdAbbott, Jacob (1835). New England and her Institutions. John Allen. p. 223.
^ abTara McPherson, Reconstructing Dixie: Race, Gender, and Nostalgia in the Imagined South (2003), p. 150.
^For example, Winifred Green Cheney, The Southern Hospitality Cookbook (1976) ISBN0-8487-0417-7; Sara Pitzer, Enjoying the Art of Southern Hospitality: Menus, Recipes, and Suggestions for Entertaining Simply and Graciously (1990) ISBN0-87483-121-0; Lisette Verlander, Susan Murphy, The Cookin' Cajun Cooking School Cookbook (1997) ISBN0-87905-784-X (stating "I learned to love the tastes and smells of good food, and that true Southern hospitality begins in the kitchen, the soul of a home"); James Villas, The Glory of Southern Cooking (2007) ISBN0-7645-7601-1 (discussing "the sacred tradition of preparing and serving lots of good food and drink to large numbers of family, friends, and even strangers — better known as Southern hospitality").
February 15, 2024
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For other uses see Southern hospitality disambiguation Southern hospitality is a phrase used in American English to describe a cultural stereotype of the Southern United States with residents perceived to show kindness warmth and welcoming of visitors to their homes or to the South in general Contents 1 Origins 2 Features 3 See also 4 ReferencesOrigins editAlthough Southerners from all walks of life have been perceived as friendly for centuries some like the writer Anthony Szczesiul claim that Southern hospitality first existed as a narrowly defined body of social practices among the antebellum planters classes 1 As such the origin of the practice was intimately tied to slavery One analysis notes African Americans had little place in this initial conceptualization of hospitality beyond the role of servant Yet it was the labor and hardships of the enslaved that allowed southern planters to entertain their guests so lavishly and seemingly so effortlessly Southern hospitality from and for whites was in large part achieved by being inhospitable and inhumane to African Americans 2 Over time however the concept developed into a discourse that stretches far beyond the image of the planter class and the principles of Southern hospitality were eventually adopted by non planter class and Southern African Americans as well and incorporated into materials used to advertise destinations in the South to other African American tourists 2 The concept of Southern hospitality has also been examined as a reflection of the religious beliefs of the region the idea that one should be good to strangers is an outgrowth of such Biblical parables as the Good Samaritan 3 Early travel writer Ernest Hamlin Abbott wrote in 1902 as religious observances are in the South as naturally included in the hospitality of the home as anything else so conversely hospitality in the South is an integral part of the church services 4 Features editSome characteristics of Southern hospitality were described as early as 1835 when Jacob Abbott attributed the poor quality of taverns in the South to the lack of need for them given the willingness of Southerners to provide for strangers 5 Abbott writes T he hospitality of southerners is so profuse that taverns are but poorly supported A traveler with the garb and the manners of a gentleman finds a welcome at every door A stranger is riding on horseback through Virginia or Carolina It is noon He sees a plantation surrounded with trees a little distance from the road Without hesitation he rides to the door The gentleman of the house sees his approach and is ready upon the steps 5 Abbott further describes how the best stores of the house are at the disposal of visitors 5 Furthermore says Abbott Conversation flows cheeringly for the southern gentleman has a particular tact in making a guest happy After dinner you are urged to pass the afternoon and night and if you are a gentleman in manners and information your host will be in reality highly gratified by your so doing Such is the character of southern hospitality 5 More recently Tara McPherson writes about the representation of tradition and manners as the glue that binds the South together distinguishing it from other regions 6 going on to say that This is a familiar mantra one linked to the famous southern hospitality capitalized on by many of the tourist attractions Contemporary fascinations with the grandeur of the Old South depend on a certain sense of decorum and this genteel mise en scene of southernness is constructed via a carefully manipulated stage set of moonlight magnolias and manners White southerners frequently stress the importance of keeping up appearances for example in her Womenfolks Growing Up Down South popular writer Shirley Abbot describes the natural theatricality inherent in southern hospitality It requires a talent for taking on a special role in a comedy of manners that will apparently run forever no matter how transparent its characters and aims This maintenance of an aura of tranquility despite a certain degree of transparency suggests that southern hospitality is a performance a masquerade an agreed on social fiction albeit a powerful one with material effects 6 Food figures highly in Southern hospitality a large component of the idea being the provision of Southern cuisine to visitors A cake or other delicacy is often brought to the door of a new neighbor as a mechanism of introduction Many club and church functions include a meal or at least a dessert and beverage Churches in the South frequently have large commercial style kitchens to accommodate this tradition but many fellowship suppers are covered dish everyone attending brings a dish However if a newcomer arrives without a dish he or she will be made to feel welcome and served generously When a death or serious illness occurs neighbors friends and church members generally bring food to the bereaved family for a period of time A number of cookbooks promise recipes advancing this concept 7 See also editIowa nice Minnesota nice Seattle FreezeReferences edit Anthony Szczesiul Re mapping southern hospitality discourse ethics politics European Journal of American Culture 2007 Issue 26 p 127 a b Derek H Alderman and E Arnold Modlin Jr Southern hospitality and the politics of African American belonging an analysis of North Carolina tourism brochure photographs Journal of Cultural Geography December 2012 Anthony Szczesiul The Southern Hospitality Myth Ethics Politics Race and American Memory 2017 p 216 Abbott Ernest Hamlin 1902 Religious Life in America A Record of Personal Observation Outlook Company p 111 a b c d Abbott Jacob 1835 New England and her Institutions John Allen p 223 a b Tara McPherson Reconstructing Dixie Race Gender and Nostalgia in the Imagined South 2003 p 150 For example Winifred Green Cheney The Southern Hospitality Cookbook 1976 ISBN 0 8487 0417 7 Sara Pitzer Enjoying the Art of Southern Hospitality Menus Recipes and Suggestions for Entertaining Simply and Graciously 1990 ISBN 0 87483 121 0 Lisette Verlander Susan Murphy The Cookin Cajun Cooking School Cookbook 1997 ISBN 0 87905 784 X stating I learned to love the tastes and smells of good food and that true Southern hospitality begins in the kitchen the soul of a home James Villas The Glory of Southern Cooking 2007 ISBN 0 7645 7601 1 discussing the sacred tradition of preparing and serving lots of good food and drink to large numbers of family friends and even strangers better known as Southern hospitality Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southern hospitality amp oldid 1197860382, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
