United States of America eSeries: The American South: Past, Present and Future

The American South: Past, Present and Future

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USA TODAY: Honoring the past and celebrating the present

The American South

STORIES THAT CHALLENGE AND CELEBRATE US

Thursday, April 29

Charles Chiu in the documentary "Far East Deep South" learns about the impact of Jim Crow laws on the Chinese community at the Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum in Cleveland, MS.

Honoring the past and celebrating the present

Chinese American family ties in Mississippi, unapologetic Black art work in Montgomery and the beauty of good Southern ingredients in Asheville

Welcome to The American South!

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As part of our Shaping the South series, we spoke to artist Michelle Browder about her groundbreaking art piece, "the mothers of gynecology." The towering sculptures pay homage to the lives of three enslaved women while shifting the narrative about the Black experience.

In thinking about the history of the Asian Americans in the South, we had a conversation with Baldwin Chiu, a Chinese American who traveled to Mississippi with his brother and father to learn more about their family's roots. The family's journey became "Far East Deep South," a documentary directed by Chiu's wife, Larissa Lam.

And finally, before you leave, let's talk about bread! It's one of my favorite things to eat, but I'll admit I absolutely don't have the patience to make it myself. I'm a great admirer of anyone who can bake a beautiful loaf of bread (hi mom!).

That's one reason I enjoyed getting to know Jennifer Lapidus. In this discussion, she shares the stories of bakers across the South committed to locally sourced grains. Her new book, "Southern Ground," offers recipes for everything from sourdough loaves to cardamom tea cakes. Yum!

Thank you for reading. Take good care!

P.S. I love this beautiful collection of art by Eric Francis.

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How a Chinese American family discovered a deep connection to Mississippi

Baldwin Chiu, producer and lead subject in the documentary "Far East Deep South" takes of picture of the Mississippi border.

Courtesy Giant Flashlight Media

Baldwin Chiu, a Chinese American from California, documented his journey to Mississippi to learn about his family's roots in the documentary "Far East Deep South."

What he, along with his father and brother, discovered was a little known history of Chinese immigrants in the Deep South.

"We all learn about the American South, we just never learned that the Chinese were part of it," said Larissa Lam, Chiu's wife and the documentary's director.

Read our Q&A and learn more about the PBS WORLD documentary

Alabama artist looks to change the narrative with monument to 'mothers of gynecology'

In Montgomery, Alabama, artist and tour guide Michelle Browder will be erecting a monument to Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey, three enslaved women operated on without anesthesia by James Marion Sims, who is often referred to as a the "father of gynecology." Browder's statue is set to be erected in Sept. 2021 and will feature the women Browder calls the "mothers of gynecology."

Mickey Welsh / Advertiser

James Marion Sims was dubbed the "father of gynecology" for the medical experiments he conducted in Montgomery, Alabama in the mid-19th century.

Each time Michelle Browder's history tour, More than Tours, reaches the statue of Sims on the steps of the Alabama capitol, she can only think of the Black enslaved women Sims operated on without anesthesia or consent.

Now, at a time when the nation is reevaluating who its monuments should pay homage to, Browder is erecting a monument to memorialize three of those women, Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey, who Browder calls the "mothers of gynecology."

Of the monument Browder says, "I hope that every little Black girl and every little girl of color will look up to these women and say, 'I can persevere.' There's a spirit of resilience when you see them, the veins on their faces, the anguish, the hope, the resiliency."

Read our Q&A with Browder and learn more about this courageous piece of art

Embracing Southern grains, one miller's devotion to local wheat

Sourdough sweet buns from "Southern Ground" by Jennifer Lapidus. (Courtesy Ten Speed)

Rinne Allen

In the lyrical "Southern Ground" cookbook, Jennifer Lapidus recounts her transformation into a miller and shares the stories of bakers across the South along with recipes for everything from sourdough loaves to cardamom tea cakes.🌾

"Bringing back regional production allows for the opportunity to bring back stone-ground milling, which also brings back flavor and nutrients," Lapidus said.

Read our Q&A with Lapidus and learn why using regionally grown grain is key

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