Your Heritage Will Still Remain

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This work explores how Mississippians shaped their social identity following the crises that began with the sectional conflict and extended into the late nineteenth century. It examines their perceptions of identity within a national framework, considering roles as Americans, Confederates, or both. Even during secession, white Mississippians clung to their American identity, which they adapted into a Confederate identity that still honored their heritage. In contrast, black Mississippians sought to establish their place in the Union and American society, facing persistent white supremacist opposition. The period was marked by radical changes that compelled all Mississippians to confront, reject, or reconsider their position within the Union. The analysis of social identity evolution from 1850 through the end of the decade reveals why white Mississippians felt compelled to create the Lost Cause narrative and how they constructed it. Utilizing personal letters, diaries, newspaper editorials, and memoirs, this study provides valuable insights into the formation of Mississippi's Lost Cause and black social identity, highlighting their lasting influence on the state into the twenty-first century.