Teaching with Primary Sources — MTSU
PRIMARY SOURCE SET
THE NEW SOUTH
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
As the nation sought to move beyond the devastation of the Civil War and tumultuous Reconstruction years, Southerners looked to rebuild their region and improve their position both in the national
economy and political landscape. A “New South”
emerged that focused on promoting the South as a
region full of economic opportunities for Northern
investors. The proponents of the New South, lead
by spokesperson Henry Grady, emphasized the
natural resources of the region such as timber, iron
ore, and rich farmland. New South promoters
lauded the area’s hardworking people, both black
and white, as a ready labor force untainted by unions and willing to work for lower wages.
During the New South period, African Americans
worked to make the most of the gains of Reconstruction. With the passage of the 15th Amendment in 1870, the first African American elected
officials took office, from local posts to state houses
to Congress. Leaders such as Booker T. Washington built schools and sought to build partnerships
with white leaders to extend new economic opportunities to black communities. The emergence of a
black middle class led to racial tensions, which
New South promoters downplayed. In the most
horrific attempts to keep African Americans “in
their place,” lynchings rose across the South.
Democrats, many of them former Confederates,
pushed to recover political power and maintain the
supremacy of elite white leaders into the future.
These Redeemers overturned laws passed by Republicans during the Reconstruction period, passed
the first Jim Crow laws, and sought ways to suppress black voters. Their efforts were given federal support with the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision
that upheld the constitutionality of “separate but
equal” facilities, such as schools and railroad cars.
Henry W. Grady, half-length portrait, facing left [ c. 1889]
FROM THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS:
 The African-American Experience in Ohio, 18501920
 From Slavery to Civil Rights: A Timeline
 African American Odyssey
 Crossing the Veil: A Young W.E.B. DuBois
in Rural Tennessee
 Teaching with Primary Sources -MTSU
Newsletter: June 2016: The New South
 Jim Crow and Segregation Primary Source
Set
 After Reconstruction: Problems of African
Americans in the South
 Meet Amazing Americans: W.E.B. DuBois
ALSO SEE:
 Tennessee’s Self-Made Men
 Reconstruction: A Moment In The Sun
 Rise of Industrial America
 Reconstruction
SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHERS
The ending of the Civil War brought with it more
questions than answers. With the defeat of the Confederacy and the passing of the Old South, what
would replace “King Cotton”? More importantly,
what would be the fate of the many ex-slaves that
had fueled the Old South’s economy and way of life?
This primary source set features newspapers, photographs, and texts provided by the Library of Congress
that tell the stories of the men and women who lived
in such turbulent times and shaped the future of the
New South.
Enclosed are sources about Henry Grady and the
New South, the election of African Americans to the
General Assembly, the yellow fever epidemic, Booker T. Washington and the rise of Jim Crow. This set
of primary sources is perfect for building compare
and contrast skills. Use the two sources to the right as
an example. Group students into pairs and have them
draw a Venn diagram. While they are working in
groups, draw a large Venn diagram on the board or a
piece of poster paper. Appoint a scribe in each group
that is responsible for coming to the front of the class
and writing 2-3 of their responses on the board/
poster paper. Pair the Venn diagram with an exit ticket for a quiz or participation grade. In addition, if the
large Venn diagram is on poster paper put it up in the
classroom or hallway to display student work.
Which visual source do you find to be the most effective? Which parts of Henry Grady’s vision of the New
South were accomplished? Which parts of Henry
Grady’s vision were not accomplished? How do the
political cartoons and illustrations of the period compare with modern political cartoons and illustrations?
Why were cities like Memphis susceptible to the yellow fever? What challenges did African American
legislators face while in office? How were Booker T.
Washington and W.E.B. DuBois different? How
would you feel if you were an African American in
the New South? What challenges would you face?
How would you react?
Southern standard., January 08, 1887, Page 2,
Image 2. [1887]
The weekly Union times. volume, May 13,
1887, Image 1. [1887]
The new
South,
Henry
Woodfin
Grady
[1890]
Carnival of blood! Republicans to be massacred at the
polls! Secret Democratic circular. Tilden’s desparate plan
to carry a solid South … New
York 1876. [1876]
Giving the other fellow a chance /
Dalymple. [1895]
The new South. A
description of the
southern states,
noting each state
separately, and giving their distinctive
features and salient
characteristics.
[1887, pg. 386]
The queen of industry, or
the new south / Th. Nast.
[1882]
Jubilee Singers, Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn.
[1870-1880]
Public
ledger.,
November 14,
1882,
Image 1
[1882,
sixth column from
right]
Radical members of the first legislature after the
war, South Carolina. [ca. 1876]
The first colored senator and representatives-in the
41st and 42nd Congress of the United States. [1872]
Nashville union and American., November 02,
1872, Image 2. [1872, second column under
The Radical Ticket]
Perspective
map of the
city of
Memphis,
Tenn.
1887.
[1887]
Public ledger., October 13, 1873, Image 2
[1873, second column]
[Yellow Jack monster] / Matt Morgan. [1873]
Yellow Fever National Relief Commission, 1879 [1893]
Public
ledger.,
October
22,
1873,
Image
2.
[1873,
fourth
column]
[African American men preparing to serve a
meal in an outdoor setting
among trees]
[between 18901910]
W.E.B. DuBois to
Booker T. Washington, September
21, 1895. Autograph Letter.
[1895, Courtesy of
Mr. David G. Dubois]
Atlanta Exposition Speech, September 18, 1895.
[1895]
Tuskegee History Class. [1902]
Booker T. Washington (three- quarter
length portrait, seated and facing slightly
left, holding newspaper. [ca. 1890]
The “New South”. [ca. 1890]
Lynch Law in Georgia. [1890]
The Roanoke daily times., May 19, 1896,
Image 1. [1896 second column]
Southern Standard., March 22,
1890, Page 4, Image 4. [1890,
third column]
Distribution of the Colored population of
the United States: 1890 [1898]
TEXTS:
 Letters of Mr. William E. Chandler relative to the so-called southern policy of President Hayes, together with a letter to Mr. Chandler of Mr. William Lloyd Garrison ...

Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle., April 09, 1890, Image 2—(anti-New South editorial talking about connections to convict lease labor) (left column; second story)
 Knoxville weekly chronicle., April 15, 1874, Page 4, Image 4—(In the second column Senator Brownlow
discusses segregation and education.)
CITATIONS
Teachers: Providing these primary source replicas without source clues may enhance the inquiry experience for students. This list of
citations is supplied for reference purposes to you and your students. We have followed the Chicago Manual of Style format, one of
the formats recommended by the Library of Congress, for each entry below, minus the access date. The access date for each of these
entries is 6/13/16.
“Henry W. Grady, half-length portrait facing left.” Photograph. Atlanta, GA. C.W. Mates. 1889. From Library of
Congress. Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/93510871/.
The Ohio Historical Society. The African-American Experience in Ohio, 1850-1920. From Library of Congress. American
Memory. http://dbs.ohiohistory.org/africanam/html/.
”From Slavery to Civil Rights: A Timeline of African -American History.” From Library of Congress. http://
www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/civil-rights/
learn_more.html.
“The African-American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship.” March 21, 2008. From Library of Congress. The
African-American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/
aointro.html.
Duke, Kira. Marks, Barbara. McDaniel, Taylor. “Lesson Plan: Crossing the Veil: A Young W.E.B. DuBois in Rural
Tennessee.” Print. Teaching With Primary Sources-MTSU. Murfreesboro, TN. http://library.mtsu.edu/tps/
lessonplans&ideas/Lesson_Plan--Crossing_the_Veil.pdf.
“Newsletter- June 2016” Volume 8, Issue 6. Teaching With Primary Sources-MTSU. Murfreesboro, TN. http://
library.mtsu.edu/tps/newsletters/TPSNewsletterJune2016.pdf.
Jim Crow and Segregation. From Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/
primarysourcesets/civil-rights/.
After Reconstruction: Problems of African Americans in the South. From Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/
teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/reconstruction/.
Meet Amazing Americans: W.E.B. Du Bois. America’s Story from Americas Library. From Library of Congress.
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/dubois/aa_dubois_subj.html.
The Citizenship Project. First Black Statesman: Tennessee’s Self-Made Men. Nashville Public Television. http://
citizenship.wnpt.org/first-black-statesmen/.
PBS. “Reconstruction: A Moment in the Sun.” PBS.org. April 23, 2014. http://www.pbs.org/video/2365472571/.
Education Outreach: Rise of Industrial America. Tn.gov. From Tennessee State Library and Archives. http://sos.tn.gov/
tsla/education-outreach-rise-industrial-america.
Reconstruction. Teach Tennessee History: East Tennessee Historical Society. Teachtnhistory.org. http://
www.teachtnhistory.org/index.cfm/m/120/Reconstruction.
Southern standard. Newspaper. McMinnville, TN; January 8, 1887. From Library of Congress. Chronicling America:
Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86090474/1887-01-08/ed-1/seq-2/
The Weekly Union Times. Newspaper. Union C.H., SC; May 13, 1887. From Library of Congress. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026918/1887-05-13/ed-2/seq-1/
Carnival of blood! Republicans to be massacred at the polls! Secret Democratic circular. Tilden's desperate plan to carry a solid
South ... New York; 1876. Print. New York, 1876. From Library of Congress. American Time Capsule: Three Centuries of
Broadsides and Other Printed Ephemera. https://www.loc.gov/item/rbpe.12804700/
Grady, Henry Woodfin. The New South. Book. New York: R Bonner’s ons, 1890. From Library of Congress.
https://lccn.loc.gov/a14001410
Dalrymple, Louis. “Giving the other fellow a chance / Dalrymple.” Chromolithograph. New York: Keppler &
Schwarzmann, March 13, 1895. From Library of Congress. Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/
item/2012648612/
Hillyard, M.B. The new South. A description of the southern states, noting each state separately, and giving their distinctive
features and most salient characteristics. Book. Baltimore: The Manufacturers' record co., 1887. From Library of Congress. https://lccn.loc.gov/01021685
Nast, Thomas. The queen of industry, or the new south / Th. Nast. Illustration. Harper’s Weekly, January 14, 1882.
From Library of Congress. Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2013648370/
American Missionary Association. “Jubilee Singers, Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn.” Photographic Print. Nashville, TN: American Missionary Association, 1870-80. From Library of Congress. Prints and Photographs Division.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2010647805/
Public Ledger. Newspaper. Memphis, TN; November 14, 1882. From Library of Congress. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033673/1882-11-14/ed-1/seq-1/
“Radical members of the first legislature after the war, South Carolina”. Photographic Print. South Carolina: 1876.
From the Library of Congress. Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/97504690/
Currier & Ives. “The first colored senator and representatives - in the 41st and 42nd Congress of the United States.”
Lithograph. New York: Currier & Ives, 1872. From Library of Congress. Prints and Photographs Division. https://
www.loc.gov/item/98501907/
Nashville Union and American. Newspaper. Nashville, TN: J.O. Griffith & Co., November 2, 1872. From Library of
Congress. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/
sn85033699/1872-11-02/ed-1/seq-2/
Henry Wellge & Co. Perspective map of the city of Memphis, Tenn. 1887. Map. Milwaukee, 1887. From Library of Congress. Panoramic Maps. https://www.loc.gov/item/75696582/
Public ledger. Newspaper. Memphis, TN: Whitmore Bros, October 13, 1873. From Library of Congress. Chronicling
America: Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033673/1873-10-13/ed-1/seq-2/
Morgan, Matthew Summerville. [Yellow Jack monster] / Matt Morgan. Illustration. Frank Leslie's weekly, 1873. From
Library of Congress. Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2010718763/
Chambers, John M. (Reporter). “Report of the Executive Committee” Yellow Fever National Relief Committee, 1879.
Transcript. Order of the Committee, Washington D.C. September, 11 1893. From Library of Congress. Manuscript
Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/mfd.20023/
Public ledger. Newspaper. Memphis, TN: Whitmore Bros. October 22, 1873. From Library of Congress. Chronicling
America: Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033673/1873-10-22/ed-1/seq2/
Washington, Booker. T. Atlanta Exposition Speech. Manuscript. September 18, 1895. From Library of Congress. African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship. https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/
AMALL:@field%28NUMBER+@band%28mssmisc+ody0605%29%29
“[African American men preparing to serve a meal in an outdoor setting among trees]” Photographic Print. 18901910. Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/2008677114/
Dubois, W.E.B. W. E. B. DuBois to Booker T. Washington. September 24, 1895. Letter. From Library of Congress..
The African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship. https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/african-american-odyssey/booker-twashington-era.html
Johnston, Frances Benjamin. “Tuskegee History Class.” Photograph. 1902. From Library of Congress. The African
American Odyssey: A Quest For Full Citizenship. https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/african-american-odyssey/booker-twashington-era.html
“Booker T. Washington (three-quarter length portrait, seating and facing slightly left, holding newspaper)” Photograph. 1890. From Library of Congress. African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship. https://www.loc.gov/
exhibits/african-american-odyssey/booker-t-washington-era.html
Well-Barnett, Ida. B. Lynch Law in Georgia. Pamphlet. Chicago: Anti-Lynching Bureau, 1890. From Library of Congress. African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship. https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/african-american-odyssey/
booker-t-washington-era.html
Strohmeyer & Wyman. The “New South.” 1890. Photographic Print. From Library of Congress. Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/item/95515251/
The Roanoke Daily Times. Newspaper. Roanoke, VA: Roanoke Pub. Co., May 19, 1896. From Library of Congress.
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95079481/1896-0519/ed-1/seq-1/
Southern Standard. Newspaper. McMinnville, TN: Standard Pub. Co., March 22, 1890. From Library of Congress.
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86090474/1890-0322/ed-1/seq-4/
Gannett, Henry. Statistical atlas of the United States, based upon the results of the eleventh census. Washington: United
States Census Office.1890.From Library of Congress. Geography and Map Division. https://www.loc.gov/
item/07019233/
Chandler, William Eaton. Letters of Mr. William E. Chandler relative to the so-called southern policy of President Hayes, together with a letter to Mr. Chandler of Mr. William Lloyd Garrison ... Letter. Concord, NH: Monitor and Statesman office, 1878. From Library of Congress. Daniel Murray Pamphlet Collection.https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?
ammem/AMALL:@field%28NUMBER+@band%28lcrbmrp+t2001%29%29
Daily Tobacco leaf-chronicle. Newspaper. Clarksville, TN: Brandon & Barksdale, April 9, 1890. From Library of Congress. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88061072/189004-09/ed-1/seq-2/
Knoxville Weekly Chronicle. Newspaper. Knoxville, TN: Rule and Tarwater, April 5, 1874. From Library of Congress. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033438/187404-15/ed-1/seq-4/