How Hollywood helped glorify the South's racial past

One of Disney's most popular attractions was based on a movie the company has spent decades distancing itself from. But "Song of the South" is just one example of how Hollywood helped popularize a romanticized version of the Old South. In this episode of Southern Identity, AJC producer Koralie Barrau explores the origins of the "Lost Cause" myth a narrative created after the Civil War that portrayed the Confederacy as noble, minimized the role of slavery and reshaped how generations of Americans understood Southern history. From The Birth of a Nation to "Gone With the Wind" and "Song of the South", these films helped bring that story to millions. Watch the full episode on the AJC YouTube channel. Credits: AJC | CBS Boston | CNN | Getty Images | The Splash Mountain Channel | The Walt Disney Company | Warner Bros Entertainment | Daily Richmond Whig | The Times-Picayune | St. Louis Post-Dispatch | The Virginian Pilot

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AJC | July 6, 2026
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