Although I’ve lived in the south twenty years I heard it called that back when I lived in the Midwest. But then I didn’t just take the history books written by the conquerors and looked at all sides of issues.
I think you’re looking at it through the lens of the 21st century. We can agree taking people into slavery was and is morally wrong. But we see it through the lens of today. It would take some time for people to see it from the 18th and 19th century, just as religious freedom took time to see, and the rights of free commoners in general. Affairs of states march slowly and sudden change is to be looked at skeptically.
That’s why they have credit. But a score is used to determine how well you manage money. For those people there are ways to build credit: get a store card to use in a purchase there and pay it off, ensure that utility and insurance bills are paid on time etc, and don’t rack up massive debts: if you can’t afford food and new clothes, make the old clothes do.