Mississippi has long reigned as the capital of cotton country, but by the mid-twentieth century, the crop’s dominance faced a serious threat from synthetic upstarts like Polyester and Rayon. This talk opens in the storied lobby of Memphis’s Peabody Hotel, where a Delta planter from Clarksdale tries to rally powerful cotton interests to rescue their struggling industry—not through farming innovation, but by transforming how the world saw their product. Cotton had become the fabric of choice for hippies and civil rights activists, while the country’s rich and famous embraced Polyester for its sheen and ease of care. To save their livelihood, these cotton leaders launched Cotton, Inc. and the “Fabric of Our Lives” campaign, one of the most memorable advertising efforts in American history.
This fascinating story of cultural reinvention shows how an iconic crop adapted to a changing America and left a lasting impression on fashion, marketing, and the landscape of the Mississippi Delta. It’s a tale that connects agriculture, advertising, and American identity—perfect for anyone curious about how the threads of our past are woven into the fabric of our lives.
