quote:
Though it was much easier to have that attitude when the region was made up of 1-2% of those types of people. I agree, it is something to be proud of, but I always get a bit of a chuckle when I hear people from Upper East Tennessee talking about places like South Georgia and Alabama and their "racism" (more of a Jim Crowe era thing than slavery). When blacks make up 3% of your population it is much easier to easily "integrate" and talk about equality than when it is 50/50. The racist language and overtones of life in Kingsport was much higher than anything I ever experienced in West Alabama or Georgia, and most of it was just from total lack of a relationship with those of a different color.

I don't disagree but Knoxville and a few outlying spots have always been closer to 6-8% which does make a difference. Ironically, Knox Co/Knoxville was the place being railed about most and one of the biggest critics was a preacher from the Kingsport/JC/Bristol area which is very different and where you've got your 1-3% as well as many racists.

The Quakers and abolitionist movement had a larger impact closer to Blount Co. and K-town even into places like what is today UNION CO which has about 0 black folks - even parts of CLAIBORNE nearest UNION Co and Knox were more liberal but only parts. Other areas just didn't want involvement or were pro-union and didn't give a shite about black folks. Ironically, just above UNION/KNOX places like SCOTT and CAMPBELL CO. were pretty bad except for their pro-union sentiments.

I would consider Upper-upper TN no different than N. Alabama and the same is true for places like JEFF CO and HAMBLEN but I do consider the areas where Quakers had more influence very different.

FWIW, I've always considered Kingsport/JC/Bristol absolutely horrific on race. I could never live there and don't know how you did.

This post was edited on 2/13/15 at 2:53 pm

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Posted by SummerOfGeorge

Member since Jul 2013

102699 posts

Posted on 2/13/15 at 3:27 pm to Prof

quote:
FWIW, I've always considered Kingsport/JC/Bristol absolutely horrific on race. I could never live there and don't know how you did.

That is all true - Knoxville and the surrounding suburbs are different than Upper East Tennessee. Upper ET is much more West VA/Eastern Kyish. Knoxville and Chattanooga are much more North Georgia ish. People that aren't from the areas don't get what that means, but I assume you totally understand what I mean. A little more southern, a little less harsh and far less "backwoods" and "us against the world"ish.

Also, I agree about the Tri-Cities and the surrounding regions. It was just awful. There were stories of Unicoi County pelting our high schools football bus with rocks as late as the mid-late 1980s because we took black kids over there.

Tennessee is just a really interesting state. Even the regions themselves, which as everyone knows are distinctly different, are very different depending on wheteher you are north or south. Clarksville is much more like Southern Ohio and Kentucky than Alabama, while Pulaski is no different than Madison, AL or Huntsville.

And I lived there because my dad moved me there (to work with the legal folks at "The Eastman"). They are still there, but my dad has never really accepted it as his home. My mom is all in, but dad ehh. It is what it is.