Salvation South

In the rural South of the 20th century, country stores were the centers of community. Salvation South Editor Chuck Reece visited many of them when he was a kid, riding along with his Uncle Bob, who supplied those stores for his livelihood. In this week's commentary, Chuck reflects on life lessons that experience taught him.

There are many foods for which the South is justifiably famous, such as gumbo, fried chicken, barbecue and so many more. The casserole is not thought of as a particularly Southern dish. But as Salvation South editor Chuck Reece explains in this week's commentary, the way Southerners use the casserole — and how we fill it with love — is definitely distinct.

Salvation South editor Chuck Reece attended a whole lot of funerals when he was a child, but he never tired of hearing loved ones share sweet stories about the dearly departed. In this week's commentary Chuck discusses one recent remembrance that struck a particular chord.

The South has a history of racial disharmony and hatred that goes all the way back to colonial times. These days, we’re all waking up to the need to reach across the lines of race and come to a deeper and more genuine understanding. But can we really make that happen?

A few months ago, it did happen in a small city in southeastern Alabama. Salvation South Editor Chuck Reece tells the story in this week's commentary.

If you look at the calendar, you can find a handful of national and made-up holidays for every day of the year. There's everything from National Potato day to National Hug Your Dog Day. 

In this week's commentary, Salvation South editor Chuck Reece explores one of those made-up holidays that particularly resonates with him, National Random Acts of Kindness Day.

For many years now, Georgia has attracted new residents from all over the country. People move here from New England, from the West Coast, from just about everywhere. And sometimes, these newcomers raise their eyebrows at us Southerners when we use the word "y’all."

In this week's commentary, Salvation South Editor Chuck Reece explains why it is actually the perfect pronoun.

Gumbo is a dish that’s held in high esteem in the American South. And that’s not just because it tastes so good. Gumbo not only fills our bellies; it also tells us something about who we are as Southerners.

In this week's commentary, Salvation South editor Chuck Reece explains why gumbo is actually the best metaphor for Southern culture.

A steady stream of bad news has been almost enough to make Salvation South editor Chuck Reece lose hope altogether. But he’s found a few ways to keep hope alive in his own life — and he hopes you’ll find these useful too in the first of his new commentary segments for GPB.