The culture of the southern United States is examined in the context of its effects on race relations and how it is portrayed in curriculum. Many of the southern racial tragedies of the past are still unresolved and this is reflected in schools as they teach about the South. Since schools are dependent on published materials to teach classes, and since there is wide variation in how these materials treat topics such as slavery, no common picture of southern culture is being given. For significant social change to occur, black and white students need a new curriculum free of distortions. The new South is fundamentally different from the old South in that there is a redistribution of economic and political resources. In some instances scholars of the American South are redefining southern culture to incorporate the experiences of blacks and other ethnic groups. This must be reflected in texts and other educational materials. More research is needed to investigate how culture can mitigate learning or serve as a vehicle for liberation. (VM)