In Cotton High and Low: The History of a Carolina Cash Crop

Cotton has changed significantly from its humble roots as a plant growing wild in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world to its position today as the primary fiber in textiles. It has influenced the history of agriculture, labor, race, and gender, not only in the US South, but around the world. Explore the material culture of cotton through these lenses, beginning with the natural history of the plant itself and progressing to the social effects of its cultivation in the US South.