Salvation South

Cultures all over the world have ceremonies to honor loved ones who have passed away. Sometimes they are celebrations. Sometimes, they are solemn remembrances. And always, everywhere, stories are told. In the South, a tradition called Decoration Day persists as fiercely as the memories of the people whose lessons shaped our lives. Salvation South editor Chuck Reece has some memories of his own.

Join Chuck Reece for an intimate conversation with legendary folklorist Bill Ferris. Explore Southern stories, blues, and the power of listening in this immersive episode on how we preserve the hallmarks of the American South.

Harvest time has arrived in North Georgia’s many apple orchards. But for Salvation South magazine editor, Chuck Reece, who grew up in our state’s apple capital—Ellijay—the best apple of all requires waiting until the first two weeks of October. He’s here today with the story of that apple, plus a recipe.

Widespread Panic’s music inspires a family—thousands strong—united by kindness and joy. Discover why their concerts are a place to simply be happy.

Salvation South magazine editor Chuck Reece recently ate breakfast at an historic spot in New Orleans, Louisiana. What he tasted and saw there sent him on a search for some pieces of Southern history he did not know about. Today, he will share with you what he found. 

Few organizations have done more to establish and protect the civil rights of Americans than the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, founded by some Georgia ministers and others. Next week, the SCLC will hold its 66th annual conference here in Atlanta. Salvation South magazine editor Chuck Reece acknowledges the SCLC’s role in Southern history.

Discover how tiny Clarkston, Ga., became the capital city of Southern hospitality by welcoming refugees from over 150 nations for five decades — and why the tradition endures, even in challenging times.      

The Fourth of July weekend brought news of disastrous flooding in Texas and the Carolinas. The deluge in the Texas Hill Country is one of the deadliest American floods in the past 100 years. Salvation South magazine editor Chuck Reece still marvels at how Southerners in these communities rally to offer their help — and how extra effort to hold onto that spirit will prove healing.

Soon, we will celebrate the 249th anniversary of the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. The Fourth of July. Although we currently live in a time that has an uncommon amount of political division, Independence Day does give us the chance to find a few things we can all hope for. Salvation South editor Chuck Reece has a few simple hopes for the holiday.

A candid journey into 21st-century Southern literature——queer voices, hard truths, and the persistence behind every “overnight” success, live from Tallahassee’s Word of South Festival.

Since a half-century ago, colleges and universities around the South have established centers to study the culture of our region. The Center for Appalachian Studies in Kentucky. The Center for the Study of the American South in North Carolina. The Center for the Study of Southern Culture in Mississippi. Salvation South magazine editor Chuck Reece has some thoughts about why preserving Southern fol...

The Associated Press last month published a story on new academic research which documents the ongoing disappearance of Southern accents in our region. Salvation South magazine editor Chuck Reece does not object to such stories, because they are true. But he does think curiosity is rising about what is being lost.

Nearly 200,000 Black soldiers fought for their freedom in the Civil War. And their families risked everything alongside them. Host Chuck Reece explores the legacy of these soldiers through the powerful, historical poetry of Frank X Walker, and with the help of Pulitzer Prize-winner Edda Fields-Black, historian Holly Pinheiro Jr. and Steve Phan, Park Ranger at the Camp Nelson National Monument. Thi...

In the South, even in the hustle and bustle of the biggest cities, strangers still tend to tell each other "Good morning" or "Good afternoon." Or they'll at least give you a nod instead of just staring at their shoes until the elevator gets to their floor. And sometimes, a conversation actually happens. Salvation South magazine editor Chuck Reece has some thoughts about that.  

Salvation South magazine editor Chuck Reece spends almost all his time thinking and writing about the American South. But sometimes, his mind starts wrestling with far bigger questions than what we Southerners read, listen to, or eat. This leads him to frustration — and sometimes, to a good lesson.

On this episode of  Salvation South Deluxe : Chuck travels to the foothills of the Smoky Mountains to meet 'the Aristotle of Bacon.' Learn how Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams—a humble smokehouse in Madisonville, Tennessee—caught the attention of the fine dining industry and beyond.

Certain words in the Southern dialect are not easily rendered on the printed page — words that do not necessarily lend themselves to spellings that make sense. At a recent art exhibition in Atlanta, Salvation South editor Chuck Reece was reminded of such a word from his youth, one he found literary validation for only after he left home.

April Fool's Day got Salvation South magazine editor Chuck Reece thinking about an idea once put forth by the great Alabama songwriter Jason Isbell. Do Southerners tell better jokes? Chuck has tried for a long time to prove Isbell true. Listen to how that’s worked out for him…

Salvation South editor Chuck Reece has some thoughts on asparagus, the one vegetable that stubbornly resists his best backyard gardening efforts.

Discover how the Affrilachia movement is redefining the narrative of the Appalachian region, challenging stereotypes and embracing diversity. From poetry to visual art, hear the stories of those who are reclaiming their space in this often-overlooked corner of America.

Today, many Christians around Georgia will celebrate Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a season of fasting and reflection. Ash Wednesday is also, of course, the day after Mardi Gras. Salvation South editor Chuck Reece is here with a brief history of how the South’s celebrations of Mardi Gras reach back to ancient times.

Inviting people to your home for a meal is one of the most important ways that we build communities of friends and neighbors. As he planned how to feed some people at a coming dinner gathering, Salvation South editor Chuck Reece found himself grateful he could do that, because five years ago, no such gatherings were possible.  

Hurricane Helene devastated Old Fort, N.C., in 2024, but this small community's innovative economic plans, centered on outdoor recreation, are helping them rebuild stronger than ever. A tale of hope, unity, and determination in the face of disaster.

For many years now, Salvation South editor Chuck Reece has edited publications where Southerners of all sorts can tell their stories, including stories of this region’s rich Black history. Here’s Chuck to talk about how his views of Black History Month have been evolving over those years.

Today in Georgia, high temperatures will be in the sixties. But over the past two weeks, the South experienced a stretch of winter cold—and even snow—that surprised us all. But the recent winter storm in Georgia brought Salvation South editor Chuck Reece an unexpected gift. We’ll let him share that with you.