Nicole King, assistant professor of American studies, appeared on WYPR’s The Signal on July 6th to discuss her new book Sombreros and Motorcycles in a Newer South: The Politics of Aesthetics in South Carolina’s Tourism Industry
King spoke with producer Aaron Henkin about the colorful history of the roadside attraction South of the Border and its owner and creator, Alan Schafer, as well as various issues of politics, commerce, and culture which revolved around South of the Border during its early years which coincided with the Civil Rights Era.
“I think South of the Border – and recreation in general, especially in the South – is important because it’s the politicized aspect of what we do in our free time,” said King. “We often think of politics… as happening in board rooms or in political spheres, but they actually happen in places that we go everyday, and especially in the South. If you look at a lot of cases about desegregation, they were bowling alleys, they were lunchroom counters, they were places that people hung out. So I think that they offer an important narrative about how politics happen when we don’t think we’re being political, especially when we’re going on vacation.”
You can listen to the full interview here.
Tags: AmericanStudies, CAHSS
