March 28, 2023
Ten years. Whew! That’s a lot of candles. For a decade now, we’ve published stories, books and magazines, sold shirts and flags, and worked toward a better South. And year after year, your Bitter Southerner memberships have helped fund the writers, photographers, illustrators, and filmmakers telling the stories that make us think, move us forward, and stir the pot. In 2023, we feel stronger and more excited than ever to publish the stories you love, and to continue our mission to make our region a better place. But before we look forward, it’s fun to look back.
In summer 2013, we sent our first story out into the world, along with our email newsletter, which now lands in about 100,000 inboxes twice a week. Shortly thereafter, we began selling the posters, towels, books, and shirts we’ve become known for. A year after that, we launched our annual Bitter Southerner Membership Drive. Over the years, the drive has gathered a global community of like-minded Bitter Southerner supporters. Fast-forward to 2021. After the hardest year any of us can remember, we launched our pride and joy, The Bitter Southerner print magazine.
Today, we're so proud to kick off our 10th membership drive and present The Birthday Issue. Yes, that's Big Freedia on the cover!
In 10 years, we’ve lived through a lot together. We’ve witnessed the Charlottesville riots, the 2016 election, Me Too, a pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, another election, an attempted coup, Georgia turning Blue, the rollback of Roe v. Wade, schools banning books, human rights being stripped from so many of us, and much more. Our writers and photographers have poured their hearts into these important stories. We’ve also celebrated art and culture, our environment, and the amazing food of our region. In recent years, through our Better South Initiative, you’ve helped us raise and donate more than $130,000 to nonprofit organizations across the South working on the causes we hold dear. Last year, we published a second edition of Waffle House Vistas. We brought home the big prize for Food Coverage at the James Beard Awards. We launched our new podcast, “BATCH.”
The bottom line, it’s really y'all who deserve all the credit. Ten years ago, we looked around and noticed a gap —a gaping hole — in the media landscape. The stories of the more dynamic South we knew and loved were not being told. When we published our first stories a decade ago, we were told, “That won’t work. No one will read long-form stories online.” But you did. Y’all stood up.
A decade. We can hardly believe it ourselves. Today, we need your support as much as ever. Please join or renew below.
Here’s to 10 more years of stirring the pot. Happy birthday to us all!
— Team Bitter Southerner
In Issue No. 5, we continue in that vein as New Orleanians Maurice Carlos Ruffin and Big Freedia talk about their hometown, the wisdom of mothers, and creating joy amid tough times. In our Letter From Home, Ann Patchett, author, bookstore owner, and National Humanities Medal recipient, gives powerful testimony to the importance of good books and good bookstores in our lives.
The writing of Michael Adno, Josina Guess, Cy Brown, and Gabrielle Calise brings the worlds of orchids, Valerie Boyd, Carolina dogs, and Cholitas Bravas to life. The incredible work of artists Celia D. Luna and Cedric Smith shines alongside the moving poetry of Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Kevin Young, and Maggie Smith.
When you become a Level 2 member, you’ll receive our 2023 annual magazine subscription — meaning you’ll receive this beautiful, Issue No. 5 as well as Issue No. 6 which publishes this fall.
Food Stories
Writing That Stirs the Pot
2023 will be our 10th year of publishing, and we're beginning our year-long celebration in the best way possible — leaning into our love affair with food. This anthology will include a selection of our favorite 20 food stories from the past 10 years — written by many of our region's great writers who know that the best way to ensnare our attention and hearts is to tell a good story about food.
Ships early June
No Place Like Home
Writing That Stirs the Pot
It’s always been The Bitter Southerner’s intention to broaden perceptions of the South, and the same goes for Southern photography. Working with the best photographers in our country has been our honor. This is a stunning collection of the images we’ve published over the last 10 years - a visual gumbo of the people and places that make up this region we call home.
Ships late Summer
