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New South, New South Democracy or New South Creed is a slogan in the history of the American South first used after the American Civil War. Reformers used it to call for a modernization of society and attitudes, to integrate more fully with the United States as a whole, reject the economy and traditions of the Old South, and the slavery-based plantation system of the prewar period. The term was coined by its leading spokesman, Atlanta editor Henry W. Grady in 1874[1] and sought to modernize the South while maintaining white supremacy through Jim Crow laws and disenfranchisement.
In the mid-20th century, the meaning of the term evolved as the Civil Rights Movement challenged segregation and white dominance. The dismantling of Jim Crow laws, economic diversification, and increasing urbanization led to a more inclusive and economically competitive South. This period saw the emergence of African American political power, the growth of cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Houston, and the rise of industries beyond agriculture.