Question

Approximately what percentage of southern whites owned slaves?

Answer 1

1/4 during the Antebellum Period (before the Civil War).--Most whites in the south did not own slaves but were farmers working for themselves. 

The majority of slaves in the south belonged to a small percentage of people. Even of the 1/4 who owned slaves, most of them had a small number of 20 or less. Whites in the south who did not own slaves didn't benefit from the system but did hope to own slaves one day as it showed success.