Soul of the South includes twenty-five paintings and numerous 3D artifacts created by self-taught artists from Louisiana. Sometimes referred to as "outsider," "folk," "naive," "visionary," "non-traditional," or "primitive," the artworks on display defy easy categorization. Each artist has created a highly personal statement that represents an individualistic response to his or her environment. 

Subjects range from the autobiographical, as seen in the work of Roy Ferdinand, to the documentation of daily life, as seen in Clementine Hunter's portrayal of plantation life. Religion inspires several artists, including Sister Gertrude Morgan and Prophet" Royal Robertson. Dr. Kurt Gitter and Alice Rae Yelen donated many of the pieces on display in 1988.  The couple spent the decade before their donation traveling throughout the American South to collect contemporary self-taught art.