s/o Why do people from the north think DC is the south?

[Anonymous]

I'm from upstate NY, and when I moved to DC twenty years ago I never thought I was moving to the "south." The south to me is Dixie... the Carolinas, Georgia, etc. DC to me (even before I moved here) was always the Mid-Atlantic and kind of set apart. But I always see people on DCUM stating that DC is the south. It's not the south, geographically or culturally. And remember, DC was the capital of the Union during the civil war.

Why do you think it's the south, northerners?

[Anonymous]

It's that pesky Mason-Dixon Line. I'm from here though and have never considered it the south.

[Anonymous]

I don't consider DC the south, and even NOVA isn't the south. To me, the south starts around Richmond, VA.

[Anonymous]

OP - DC is part of the south and I consider it south. There were slaves here in DC. A lot of the racial angst here is leftovers from that era. I grew up here and it did have a very southern, slow vibe, that is hard to imagine today.

[Anonymous]

Didn't Lincoln call it a city of Southern efficiency & Northern charm?

[Anonymous]

It is south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Therefore, it is in the south. Not the Deep South, but the South none the less. It is definitely not in the north.

I love JFK's description- "Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - DC is part of the south and I consider it south. There were slaves here in DC. A lot of the racial angst here is leftovers from that era. I grew up here and it did have a very southern, slow vibe, that is hard to imagine today.

There were slaves in the North, too. They just abolished slavery before the rest. And Lincoln abolished slavery in the District before he issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

Before DC home rule Dixiecrats ruled this city, that is true. But that was a long time ago.

And there's a lot of racial angst all over the country. Get a clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm from upstate NY, and when I moved to DC twenty years ago I never thought I was moving to the "south." The south to me is Dixie... the Carolinas, Georgia, etc. DC to me (even before I moved here) was always the Mid-Atlantic and kind of set apart. But I always see people on DCUM stating that DC is the south. It's not the south, geographically or culturally. And remember, DC was the capital of the Union during the civil war.

Why do you think it's the south, northerners?

You're idea of the south is called the Deep South.

[Anonymous]

The Mason Dixon line is no longer relevant. DC is not the South.

As has been said, the only thing making NoVa the South is that it's in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

[Anonymous]

I dont think of it in the south. And When I went to school in Texas they called it "up north"... it was DEFINITELY not considered southern

Also, my mom grew up in NYC and never calls DC the south. Maybe VA. DC is midatlantic to her.

[Anonymous]

Once you get past Kings Diminion, it can feel pretty southern. But mostly it's an accent thing. People in DC don't have southern accents.

[Anonymous]

I believe the south is anywhere you can get both sweet tea and grits with no difficulty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Therefore, it is in the south. Not the Deep South, but the South none the less. It is definitely not in the north.

I love JFK's description- "Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm."

+1

So true!

People act passive aggressive southern - if you must know, OP. People in this area seem not helpful, and have a lot of angst and anxiety. Though they really believe people from elsewhere don't realize. That is the funny part

Cue any hostile discussion and attempt at comparison (!!!) with the Midwest and/or Northeast in 3,2,1......

[Anonymous]

DC is south of the Mason-Dixon line. It was a slave-holding territory, and segregation was practiced not only in schools and housing but also in theaters and other businesses through the mid-twentieth century.

Also, it's unbearably hot and humid in the summer and has mild winters.

http://washingtonspark.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/dcs-old-jim-crow-rocked-by-1939-marian-anderson-concert/


http://www.npr.org/2013/08/26/215809811/sleepy-southern-and-segregated-what-d-c-was-like-in-63

[Anonymous]

One of the ways we can designate a region for any city is with its links to other cities.

Think of all the planes, trains, and buses from DC to the North's biggest city, NYC.

Now compare that to all the planes, trains, and buses to the South's biggest city, Atlanta.

Doesn't really compare.