In this book Tiya Miles explores the popular yet troubling phenomenon of "ghost tours," frequently promoted and experienced at plantations, urban manor homes, and cemeteries throughout the South. As a staple of the tours, guides entertain paying customers by routinely relying on stories of enslaved black specters. But who are these ghosts? Examining popular sites and stories from these tours, Miles shows that haunted tales routinely appropriate and skew African American history to produce representations of slavery for commercial gain. "Dark tourism" often highlights the most sensationalist and macabre aspects of slavery, from salacious sexual ties between white masters and black women slaves to the physical abuse and torture of black bodies to the supposedly exotic nature of African spiritual practices. Because the realities of slavery are largely absent from these tours, Miles reveals how they continue to feed problematic "Old South" narratives and erase the hard truths of the Civil War era. In an incisive and engaging work, Miles uses these troubling cases to shine light on how we feel about the Civil War and race, and how the ghosts of the past are still with us.

Collects Southern legends and folk tales about haunted houses, supernatural events, and the appearances of ghosts

The Old South comes to supernatural life in this classic collection of chilling tales from the “custodian of the twilight zone” (Southern Living). Nancy Roberts, known as the “First Lady of American Folklore,” is a topnotch storyteller and one of the few who both write and tell their own stories. For more than two decades, Ms. Roberts has documented ghost stories and interviewed hundreds of people throughout the United States. A nationally known author of twenty-three books, Ms. Roberts began her career with a series of ghost stories written for The Charlotte Observer. Carl Sandburg sent her word that her stories were good, suggesting “they should be a book.” Since then her books have won her a certificate of commendation from the American Association for State and Local History and a nomination for the Great Western Writer’s Spur Award. The Haunted South includes tales about . . . An angel sighting in the North Carolina mountains A poltergeist occurrence that drew trainloads of spectators to Jessup, Georgia A ghostly warning in Atlanta presaging a major plane crash A North Carolina tavern where unsuspecting travelers were murdered An omen of death brought by South Carolina’s “Gray Lady” The apparition of an Alabama Railroad Robin Hood A ghost ship off North Carolina’s Outer Banks Praise for Nancy Roberts “Ghost hunter/author Nancy Roberts has put together as shivery a selection of other worldly tales as you’re likely to find anywhere . . . And whether you believe in ghosts or not, these tales are guaranteed to give you a chill, especially before you go into a dark room alone.” —Southern Living

Ghost stories from various southern states in America.

Ghost stories from the American South have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! The haunted history of cities across the southeast come to life--even when the main players are dead. Have you heard about the ghosts at the Mayberry Inn in Hot Springs, Arkansas? Their connection to the Inn is so strong--and grisly--they may never check out! Did you know the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia, is haunted by the brother of one of the most infamous men in American history? Do you know the history of the majestic--and haunted--tombs of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans, Louisiana? Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Ghost stories from the American South have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! The haunted history of cities across the southeast come to life--even when the main players are dead. Have you heard about the ghosts at the Mayberry Inn in Hot Springs, Arkansas? Their connection to the Inn is so strong--and grisly--they may never check out! Did you know the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia, is haunted by the brother of one of the most infamous men in American history? Do you know the history of the majestic--and haunted--tombs of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans, Louisiana? Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Your guide to the spookiest spots in Dixie