William J. Cooper, Jr. is Boyd Professor of History at Louisiana State University. In addition to numerous articles, essays, & reviews, he is the author of "The Conservative Regime: South Carolina, 1877-1890," "The South & the Politics of Slavery, 1825-1856," & "Liberty & Slavery: Southern Politics to 1860," as well as co-author of "The American South: A History." He lives in Baton Rouge.