Just enough to put him away decent : death care, life extension, and the making of a healthier South, 1900-1955 / Kristine M. McCusker.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McCusker, Kristine M., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Death--Social aspects--Southern States--History--20th century.

Death.

Burial--Social aspects--Southern States--History--20th century.

Burial.

Life expectancy--Southern States--History--20th century.

Life expectancy.

Medical care--Southern States--History--20th century.

Medical care.

Discrimination in medical care--Southern States--History--20th century.

Discrimination in medical care.

Southern States--Race relations--History--20th century.

Southern States.

Death--Social aspects.

Race relations.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xi, 302 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Urbana : University of Illinois Press, [2023]

Summary:

"As the twentieth century began, Black and white southerners alike dealt with low life expectancy and poor healthcare. But the modernization of death care by a diverse group of actors changed not only death rituals but fundamental ideas about health and wellness. Kristine McCusker charts the dramatic transformation that took place when southerners in particular and Americans in general changed their thinking about when one should die, how that death could occur, and what decent burial really means. As she shows, the federal government's utilization of death rituals for its own ends during the world wars made living longer an implied right of citizenship and instilled ideas of health and death in line with national practices. She also examines the common ground between Blacks and whites regarding death care--and how agreement between the races broke down whenever Black death from poverty or white violence challenged the southern caste system"-- Provided by publisher.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: McCusker, Kristine M. Just enough to put him away decent

ISBN:

9780252045080

0252045084

9780252087219

0252087216

OCLC:

1345510957