What image do you have of the American South? Perhaps it is William Faulkner’s poetic words. Clementine Hunter’s haunting paintings. The South has long been a source of unique literature art and cultural expression. It has left an everlasting imprint on the American artistic landscape. Recognizing this rich tradition, many colleges and schools are including Southern literature and art into their curricula and courses.

K-12 Education – Introducing Young Minds to Southern Voices

At the K-12 level, exposure to Southern literature and art often begins in English and history classes. Many states, particularly those in the South, have standards that require the inclusion of regional works in their curricula. For example:

Elementary School

Children’s Books by Southern Authors and Age Appropriate Stories in Classics. Robert D. McCarthy Books like San Souci’s “The Talking Eggs” or “Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears,” retold by Verna Ardema, introduce young readers to the rich folkloric traditions of the South

Art classes can include projects inspired by folk art traditions, such as making a souvenir bowl or creating a quilt class based on patterns from Gee’s Bend, Alabama.

Middle School

As students progress to middle school, they may encounter more complex literary works. Popular choices include:

• Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
• Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird
• Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963

These novels provide opportunities for conversation in the areas of history, race relations, and coming of age.

Art classes allow students to study the work of self-taught artists such as Howard Finster or Thornton Dial, and create their own pieces inspired by this unique artistic vision.

High School

High school curricula often dive deeper into the literary canon. Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature courses frequently include works by such authors, as:

• Faulkner, William. As I Lay Dying or The Sound and the Fury
• Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God
• Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire
• O’Connor, Flannery. Short stories

More challenging works like these provide unique opportunities for viewers to explore themes, styles, and historical contexts in-depth.

Classes of art history might include movements like the Harlem Renaissance, which bear significant traces of the South, or the work of photographers like William Eggleston, whose images encapsulate parts of the South. 

Innovative Programs Some schools have developed more comprehensive programs focused on Southern culture. For example, the Mississippi Department of Education offers a “Mississippi Writers” elective for high school students. The course covers a range of writers from Eudora Welty to Jasmine Ward.

In Georgia, the “Georgian Studies” program for 8th grade includes a lot of literature and art about the state. This is integrated into the social studies curriculum. Such efforts help students understand their local cultural heritage.

Higher Education – Deep Dives into Cultural Studies

Colleges and universities offer the most extensive and specialized study of Southern literature and art. Many institutions, especially those in the South, have dedicated programs, departments, or centers.

Notable Programs

Center for the Study of Southern Culture – University of Mississippi	This interdisciplinary center offers both undergraduate and graduate Southern Studies programs. Topics covered in courses include literature, foodways, music, and visual culture. The center also publishes the Encyclopedia of Southern Culture and provides a venue for events like the Oxford Conference for the Book.
Department of American Studies – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	UNC’s American Studies department offers a concentration in Southern Studies. This allows students to explore the region’s literature history and culture in depth. The program benefits from UNC’s extensive Southern Historical Collection. It is one of the largest archives of history in the country.
Eudora Welty Chair in Southern Studies – Millsaps College	This endowed position at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, focuses on promoting the study of literature and culture. The chair holder teaches courses and organizes events related to these studies.
Center for Southern Literary Arts – Memphis, Tennessee	While not affiliated with a specific university, this nonprofit organization partners with educational institutions. It promotes literature through workshops. They also offer readings and educational programs.

Specialized Courses

Many universities offer courses specifically focused on aspects of Southern literature and art, such as:

• The Literature of the American South—Yale University
• Southern Women Writers—University of Georgia
• African American Art of the American South—Spelman College
• Southern Gothic Literature—Vanderbilt University
• The Imagined South: Literature and Culture—Duke University

These courses allow students to engage more actively in common cultural practices that involve interdisciplinary approaches that link literature and the arts to historical sociology and cultural studies

Graduate Studies and Research

At the graduate level, students can pursue advanced degrees focusing on Southern literature and art. Many English and Art History departments offer specializations in South studies. For example:

• The University of Mississippi offers an M.F.A. in Creative Writing with a strong focus on literature.
• The Liberal Arts Graduate Institute at Emory University offers the Field of Southern Studies, with opportunities for interdisciplinary research on Southern culture.
• The Institute for Southern Studies at the University of South Carolina supports graduate research in a variety of cultural features, including literature and visual arts. 

These programs often involve original research, contributing to the ongoing scholarly discourse on cultural productions.

Challenges and Approaches

Studying Southern literature and art involves grappling with tough topics, especially around race relations and social inequality. Educators strive to provide context and inspire constructive discussions without shying away from difficult truths.

In addition, another push is to diversify the classics beyond the traditional white male authors. You’re as likely to find Jesmyn Ward or Kiese Laymon on a syllabus as writers like William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams. Finally, right?

And let’s not forget the digital revolution. Have you heard of the Digital Yoknapatawpha project at the University of Virginia? Technology is used to portray Faulkner’s fantasy world.

Conclusion

So what does all of this mean? Students do more than just read a novel or look at a painting when they study southern literature and art in the classroom. They learn about the complex social, historical and cultural processes that shaped the region.

As the South changes, so will the study of its cultural artifacts. Who knows what fresh voices and perspectives are going to come in the next years? One thing is certain: there will always be something new to discover in the American South.

So, the next time you pick up a Southern novel or appreciate a piece of folk art, keep in mind that you are experiencing more than simply a work of art. You are exploring an extensive layer of cultural history. This history continues to define and reflect the American experience.