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The American West prior to 1800 was relatively an obscure and unexplored region. However, by 1846, it had been traversed by no less than three government expeditions, and numerous mountain men and adventurers. There was an abundance of guides, maps, and books in print by 1846 for the homeseeker traveling west of the Mississippi River.The Mormon knowledge and interest in the West began as early as 1832. Throughout the 1830's and early 1840's, as the saints moved West in the face of persecution, the Rocky Mountains were often spoken of as the future Zion of the Church. In 1842, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church, spoke of future Mormon settlements in the Rocky Mountains, and plans were formulated to begin a movement to that region. However, the death of the Mormon prophet in June, 1844, temporarily delayed that movement. Brigham Young continued to point the Church toward the West as planned by Joseph Smith. Under his direction, the Church made an extensive study of maps and books available on the West. As the first wagons crossed the Mississippi in February, 1846, the following plans had been determined: (1) The Great Basin was to be the main headquarters of the Church. (2) And there were to be Mormon colonies at several key locations in the West, especially along the Pacific Coast.

This thesis examines the impacts of government policies on community mobilization in Orlando's Parramore neighborhood and the all-black town of Eatonville in Central Florida. The scope of this thesis covers the history of both communities from their formation in the 1880s to the end of the twentieth century. This research reveals the relationships between the predominantly black residents of Parramore and Eatonville and the largely white government officials over the development and maintenance of each community. By understanding the social creation of both communities during the era of Jim Crow, this thesis reveals the differing levels of power each community possessed that would impact their ability to turn their defined black spaces into black places. Moving forward, each community had to adjust to the impacts of integration that weakened the communal bonds that helped the community endure Jim Crow. However, in detailing the rise of citizen activism in the post-World War II period, the theory of infrastructural citizenship shapes this thesis in revealing how black residents in Parramore and Eatonville exercised their rights as citizens in making their voices heard surrounding various infrastructural changes. While their efforts did not always achieve their ultimate goals, it forced decision makers to anticipate and accommodate the opinions of the residents impacted by these decisions. This thesis uses historical analysis to place Parramore and Eatonville within the broader social, political, and economic contexts of events occurring in Florida, the American South and the country at large.

This project seeks a better understanding on how blackness has been peripheral to our understanding of the term Southerner. The purpose of this work is to examine an area where the intersection of race and region exists to more fully understand how blacks in the South have presented their sense of Southern identity. The chosen area of examination is the music of rhythm and blues. Rhythm and blues as a genre rose to prominence in the years following World War II. The main reason for analyzing rhythm and blues as an intersecting point of race and region is that the music is both a reflection and celebration of the Southern black musical tradition. Along with the sound there is an aesthetic to rhythm and blues that is distinctly of the black South. Within the scope of this work, the examination of rhythm and blues was done by first understanding the genres of music it was built upon; as a way to show the continuity of the Southern black musical tradition. From there, this work chose to identify three prominent rhythm and blues artist (Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, and Nina Simone) as a means to connect people, music, and region. The point in highlighting these artists is to demonstrate how aspects of black identity and Southern identity have intertwined through an institution like music. Through the prism of rhythm and blues there is evidence that Southern blacks did not see themselves absent of regional identity. In highlighting a point of intersection between blacks and the South that prioritizes their experience and sense of identity, this research represents a step in the importance of fully incorporating blacks into our understanding of the term Southerner.