So, why the Hog and Snake? In the course of his career, one of McWhiney’s research discoveries was the overwhelming importance of free range livestock raising in the Old South. In fact, according to his and other historians’ calculations, such pedestrian items as pork and corn represented a much larger economic presence in the Old South than did the more commonly known cash crops of cotton, tobacco, and sugar.

“Hogmeat and hoecake” certainly does not capture the imagination like “moonlight and magnolias,” but according to McWhiney, it does reflect a more accurate image of Southern history. In fact, the hog represents a level of unity in the South: Slaves and slaveowners on the plantations,“crackers” in the piney woods, and travelers from other regions all feasted on range hogs as a primary staple in their diets.

McWhiney’s tradition of serious scholarly investigation expanded understanding while defying conventional wisdom. Because of this, the McWhiney Foundation chose a symbol of its founder’s research — a wild hog enjoying a delicacy — to serve as its logo.