Mississippi
The South needs a new Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement was a product of necessity. The American system could no longer withstand its own flaws, particularly in the South. In 2026, we've come to the same impasse.
North Carolina
Alabama
You need to hear this about gerrymandering and the Voting Rights Act
I stopped by one of my favorite shows, WUNC's "Due South" in North Carolina, to talk about the story, give it some context, and (hopefully) suggest there's a light at the end of the tunnel.
Virginia
What the Virginia vote says about Democrats in 2026
The Democrats are practicing “maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time.” That could be especially important in the South.
North Carolina
On gerrymandering, North Carolina and Virginia are two sides of the same coin
For Democrats and Republicans, supporting gerrymandering or opposing it is a question of which side of the North Carolina-Virginia state line you’re on.
North Carolina
Audio: The Living South conversation with NC Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls
Listen to The Living South's full conversation with NC Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls.
North Carolina
Anita Earls against the world
The NC Supreme Court justice could be on the shortlist for the US Supreme Court someday. But first, she faces a right-wing smear campaign and a fight with cancer.
South Carolina
The South has a lot at stake in what happens next in Venezuela
Of the 10 states with the most active duty military personnel, six are in the South—Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia.
Civil Rights
The Living South's top 5 of 2025
In the first year of The Living South, I did my best to tell the stories that captured this complicated place. In year two, I want to go bigger and deeper.
North Carolina
Law enforcement isn't supposed to act like this
Law enforcement's power is derived from a bargain with the people they serve. They're not supposed to be ideologues. They're not supposed to wear masks and lie.
North Carolina
What the obsession with Bill Belichick's girlfriend says about us
The sexism and misogyny baked into the American media's fascination with Bill Belichick and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.
North Carolina
Something to actually, really be grateful for in the South
Nobody likes forced gratitude. It's cloying and annoying. This season is filled with artificial pleas for it. So I'm not going to do that. But I want to talk about something I saw this month that's making me give thanks for the people of the South.
North Carolina
I'm gonna try to explain North Carolina
Introducing a new video series called "Billy Ball Explains North Carolina"—the point being to cut through all the noise and make some sense in my home state.