The Civil War may be long over but the spirit of rebellion is hard to extinguish, even in something as innocent as a girls' summer camp. "Southern Belle" examines the 1861 Athenaeum Girls' School where young women eagerly sign up to become that iconic and romantic image of Southern identity: the Southern belle, replete with hoop skirt, hat and gloves, and singing the region's anthem, Dixie. While the young women are eager to learn the art of being a lady by practicing penmanship and learning how to deep curtsy, a larger agenda for the camp appears to lurk under the surface. The teachers, all of whom work for no compensation, hope to instill genteel manners and build pride in Southern heritage. They have also carefully selected the time period so they can share "the truth" with the next generation about why the South seceded from the Union. For them, the Civil War had little to do with slavery and everything to do with states' rights and unfair taxation. Critics, however, say the camp experience whitewashes history and misinforms the next generation. Is the camp a self-esteem building, living history experience or does it ultimately reinforce divisions between races, genders, and geographies in the present? As we begin the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, "Southern Belle" captures the divisive historical memory of an American subculture and challenges us to consider how a romantic portrayal of the past can affect current attitudes and continue to define and divide America today.