The term "New South" is often credited to journalist and author Henry W. Grady. Grady used the term in his speeches and newspaper editorials in the late 19th century to promote economic and industrial development in the post-Civil War South. He advocated for a departure from the region's agrarian past and for embracing industrialization, racial reconciliation, and cooperation with the North. Grady's influential writings and speeches played a significant role in shaping the concept of the "New South" and its representation in the years following Reconstruction.
