Read e-book online Willis Duke Weatherford: Race, Religion, and Reform in the PDF

At the flip of the 20th century, few white, southern leaders might converse out in prefer of racial equality for worry of being disregarded as too innovative. Willis Duke Weatherford (1875--1970), even though, defied conference as one of many first sought after white southern liberals to devote his existence to reforming the South's social procedure, getting rid of violence and injustice via schooling, and starting a discussion one of the affected teams. His lively efforts resulted in an increase in innovative motion within the sector, notwithstanding now and then his personal ideals avoided him from advocating for absolute racial equality. for this reason, historians debate Weatherford's legacy: was once he a forward-thinking supporter of human rights or in basic terms a reasonable paternalist?

In this accomplished biography, Andrew McNeill Canady deals a reassessment of the influential educator's existence and paintings. Canady surveys Weatherford's paintings with associations corresponding to the YMCA, Berea collage, and Fisk collage and illuminates his many efforts to foster discussion between southerners of all races approximately faith, race kin, and Appalachia. He additionally examines Weatherford's reluctance to problem Jim Crow legislation and the capitalist economic system that contributed to the poverty of African american citizens and the folks of Appalachia, revealing the constraints that southern reformers confronted and the often-difficult compromises they have been pressured to make.

During a occupation that spanned from the revolutionary period to the civil rights stream, Weatherford was once taken with almost each major southern liberal attempt of his time. previous study has concentrated totally on Weatherford's early paintings, yet Canady's learn is the 1st to enquire the complete trajectory of his lifestyles and occupation. This late biography makes an important contribution to literature at the lengthy civil rights stream and the advance of southern liberalism.