Without question the South is the most examined region in American history. Yet most studies have not ventured beyond World War II, and still fewer have considered the rural South. The New South - the urban, industrial Sunbelt South - has received the lion's share of scholarly attention up to now. This collection of essays by prominent authorities on the South seeks to remedy this neglect by providing an introduction to some of the most important economic, social, political, and cultural changes in the rural South since 1945. The Rural South Since World War II is an essential volume for all students of the South. Each of the essays is an important reminder that not all of the region is urban and that away from the interstate highways there exists a world that remains recognizably distinct.