Law and Society in the South reconstructs eight pivotal legal disputes heard in North Carolina courts between the 1830s and the 1970s and examines some of the most controversial issues of southern history, including white supremacy and race relations, the teaching of evolution in public schools, and Prohibition. Finally, the book explores the various ways in which law and society interacted in the South during the civil rights era. The voices of racial minorities-some urging integration, others opposing it-grew more audible within the legal system during this time. Law and Society in the South divulges the true nature of the courts: as the unpredictable venues of intense battles between southerners as they endured dramatic changes in their governing values.

John Wertheimer is professor of history at Davidson College. His articles have appeared in Law and History Review, North Carolina Historical Review, Journal of American History, and other publications.

Reviews:

"Historian John W. Wertheimer highlights legal cases tried in North Carolina courts that shaped the state and society."-Meredith Jacobs, Fayetteville Observer-Times

"This book will appeal to readers who are interested in a detailed explanation of specific cases in North Carolina's history&. It is well-written, interesting, and is sufficiently accessible to allow undergraduates to connect with the material."-Tara W. Stricko, Law and Politics Book Review

"The author gratefully acknowledges the contributions of his legal history seminar students. The chapters originated from group research projects so enticing that students successfully resisted a planned shift to individual papers. Teachers of legal history should take note."-North Carolina Historical Review

"This book offers a plethora of interesting insights about the role and influence of North Carolina courts in responding to and furthering social change in various eras."-J. Michael McElreath, Journal of the North Carolina Association of Historians