Goldfield, David R., 1944-

Charlotte, North Carolina

J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections

circa 1991

1 audio file (1:22:26) : digital, MP3

sound recording-nonmusical

spoken word

eng

David Goldfield was approximately a 47-year-old man at the time of the interview. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was educated at the University of Maryland, and was employed as a college professor.

In this 1991 lecture, "A Southern Century," UNC Charlotte history professor Dr. David Goldfield discusses the changing social and economic status of the American South in the twentieth century. Setting the context for the growth that took shape in the South from the 1960s onwards, Dr. Goldfield contrasts the economic, industrial and cultural domination of the great Northeastern and Midwestern cities in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries with the American South, which was economically stressed, largely rural in character, dominated by small towns, and socially regressive. It was not until the post World War II period and the decline of Northeastern and Midwestern urban centers that the South experienced a boom in its population and service economy. While addressing the South as a whole region and generalizing the trend of Southern economic expansion, Dr. Goldfield often draws attention to Charlotte's position within this narrative as a New South City, noting in particular Charlotte's growing diversity, sprawling suburban and "outtown" growth, and amenities which made the city attractive to corporations seeking new branch locations. In particular he mentions Charlotte's international airport and urban university in addition to accessible natural and cultural amenities. Dr. Goldfield closes his lecture on a note of hope that the lessons learned during the civil rights era will continue to improve racial and economic disparities in order to allow the South to become the next great American region.

MP3 access copy created on ingest from WAV preservation master. Interview originally recorded on analog audio cassette and digitized using a Digidesign 003 rack.

College teachers

Goldfield, David R., 1944-

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Cities and towns--Growth
City planning
Rural-urban migration
Migration, Internal
Race discrimination
Corporations--Growth
Urban renewal

North Carolina--Charlotte
Georgia--Atlanta
Southern States

Speeches, addresses, etc.
Sound recordings

1870-1990

David Goldfield student project on change in the Charlotte region

Living Charlotte : the postwar development of a New South city

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Digitization made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

audio/mpeg

GF-GO0058