As Jewish immigrants settled in Southern communities, many sought acceptance in the wake of persecution faced prior to emigration. In this pursuit, many Jews utilized their backgrounds as merchants to establish businesses that filled the needs of Southern economies, playing an instrumental role in the development of downtowns. Enabled by their financial capacity and newfound economic necessity, Southern Jews secured social status. Throughout the twentieth century, the tense racial and political landscape in the South tested the stability of this status, placing Jews into an ambivalent middle ground as non-Christian, White citizens. This thesis argues that Jewish immigrants secured tolerance for themselves and their progeny by going beyond assimilation, integrating with Southern communities both socially and economically, and building reputations as community leaders in the process. However, this status was contingent on their continued acceptance of sociocultural norms, and, as a result, the willing adaptation of Jewish business owners to Southern culture played a key role in defining their continued legacy. Today, many of these businesses are no longer operating and have been replaced by large retail chains and online shopping. The changing landscape of Southern economies provides urgency to the preservation of this history, making it increasingly apparent that recording these stories is a necessity.
"},{"label":"Degree","value":["Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors"]},{"label":"Author-supplied Keywords","value":["Southern Jewish business","Assimilation","Oral history"]},{"label":"Administrative Note","value":"Drupal Node ID: 33876