List of Confederate monuments and memorials in Alabama facts for kids

A Confederate monument is a public display or symbol that honors the Confederate States of America (CSA), its leaders, or soldiers from the American Civil War. These symbols can be statues, flags, special holidays, or even the names of places like schools, roads, parks, and cities. This article lists such monuments and memorials found in Alabama. It does not include simple historical markers or battlefield parks unless they were specifically made to honor the Confederacy.

What Are Confederate Monuments?

Confederate monuments are statues, markers, and other public displays that remember the Confederacy. The Confederacy was a group of southern states that separated from the United States between 1860 and 1861. This led to the American Civil War (1861-1865). These monuments were often built to honor the soldiers and leaders who fought for the Confederacy.

Laws About Monuments

As of June 2020, Alabama has at least 122 public places with Confederate monuments. In 2017, Alabama passed a law called the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act. This law requires local governments to get permission from the state before they can remove any Confederate monuments or memorials.

Important Monuments and Symbols in Alabama

At the State Capitol

Monument to Confederate Soldiers and Sailors at the Alabama State Capitol

The Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery has several important Confederate symbols:

• Confederate Memorial Monument (1898): This monument is also known as the "Monument to Confederate Soldiers and Sailors." In 2015, four Confederate flags that were flying there were removed by order of the Governor.
• Jefferson Davis Presidential Star (1897): This marble star marks the exact spot where Jefferson Davis stood when he became the President of the Confederacy on February 18, 1861.
• Statue of Jefferson Davis (1940): A statue of Jefferson Davis is also located at the Capitol.
• John Allan Wyeth Marker: A marker honors John Allan Wyeth, a doctor who fought in the Confederate Army.

State Symbols and Flags

The Coat of arms of Alabama

The Flag of the Governor of Alabama

Some of Alabama's official state symbols also include references to the Confederacy:

• Alabama Coat of Arms (1923): Both the official Coat of arms of Alabama and the State Seal include the Confederate Battle Flag.
• Alabama State Flag (1895): The design of the Alabama State Flag was meant to look like the Confederate battle flag, especially its "St. Andrew's cross" design. This flag was adopted around the same time that "Jim Crow laws" were put in place. These laws created segregation and treated Black people unfairly.
• Governor's Flag: The special flag used by Alabama's Governor also features the St. Andrew's Cross, along with the State Coat of Arms.

State Holidays

Alabama observes several state holidays that honor Confederate figures or events:

• Robert E. Lee Day: Celebrated on the third Monday in January, along with Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
• Confederate Memorial Day: Celebrated on the fourth Monday in April.
• Jefferson Davis Day: Celebrated on the first Monday in June.

Historic Buildings

• First White House of the Confederacy in Montgomery, Alabama: This building served as the first executive residence for the President of the Confederate States of America.

Public Monuments Across Alabama

Courthouse Monuments

Many counties in Alabama have Confederate monuments located at their courthouses. These monuments were often placed by groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) or the United Confederate Veterans (UCV).

Panel on the Jefferson County Court House in Birmingham

Pickens County War Memorial in Carrollton

Confederate Monument in Clayton

Confederate Monument in Jasper, Alabama

Examples include:

• Ashville: Confederate Soldiers of Ashville Monument (1923).
• Athens: Limestone County Confederate Soldiers Memorial (1922).
• Clayton: Confederate Monument (1909).
• Jasper: Confederate Monument (1907).
• Marion: A UDC monument honors Nicola Marschall, who designed the first Confederate flag and uniforms.

Other Public Monuments

Beyond courthouses, many other public spaces in Alabama have Confederate monuments.

Confederate monument at Blakeley, Alabama

Raphael Semmes monument in Mobile, Alabama

Monument to the Confederate victory in the Battle of Newton

Calhoun County Confederate Memorial in Ohatchee, Alabama

• Anniston: A monument to Major John Pelham (1905) was removed in 2020.
• Blakeley: A UDC monument (2010) at Historic Blakeley State Park honors Confederate soldiers and sailors.
• Demopolis:

* Confederate Monument (1910): This statue was damaged in 2016 and later moved to a local museum. A new memorial now honors both Union and Confederate soldiers. * Confederate Square: The town square is still officially named Confederate Square.

• Gadsden: The Emma Sansom and Nathan Bedford Forrest Monument (1907) honors these Confederate figures.
• Huntsville: The Confederate Soldier Memorial (1905) was moved to Maple Hill Cemetery in 2020.
• Jacksonville: A Confederate Monument (1909) in the town square includes a quote from Jefferson Davis.
• Mobile: A statue of Admiral Raphael Semmes (1900) was removed in 2020.
• Montgomery:

* A UDC monument (1942) on Dexter Avenue marks the path of Jefferson Davis's inauguration parade. * A Robert E. Lee statue (1908) is located at Robert E. Lee High School.

• Ohatchee: The Calhoun County Confederate Memorial (2003) is described as "the world's largest black granite Confederate Memorial."
• Selma:

* The Edmund Pettus Bridge (1940) is named for Edmund Pettus, a Confederate General. This bridge is famous for the civil rights marches of 1965. * Old Live Oak Cemetery has several Confederate memorials, including the Nathan Bedford Forrest Bust Monument (2000). This bust has been stolen and replaced, and its base has an inscription honoring General Forrest. * The cemetery also has graves and memorials for several Confederate generals.

"Arsenal Place" memorial in Selma, Alabama

Bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest in Old Live Oak Cemetery

• Tallassee: The Confederate Armory, the only one to survive the war, has a historical marker.
• Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Civil War Memorial (1914) is located at the University of Alabama's library.

Private Monuments

Some Confederate monuments are located on private property or in cemeteries.

Mesopotamia Cemetery in Eutaw, Alabama

• Auburn: Auburn Guard Monument (1893) in Pine Hill Cemetery.
• Birmingham: Confederate Monument (1906) in Elmwood Cemetery.
• Eutaw: Confederate monument in Mesopotamia Cemetery.
• Tuskegee: The Tuskegee Confederate Monument (1906) is owned by the UDC and located in a town park.

Named Places

Many places in Alabama are named after Confederate figures:

• Counties:

* Bullock County (1866): Named for CSA Col. Edward Bullock. * Chilton County (1868): Named for William Parish Chilton, a judge and member of the Confederate Congress. * Cleburne County (1866): Named for CSA Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne. * Hale County (1867): Named for CSA Lt. Col. Stephen F. Hale. * Lee County (1866): Named for Robert E. Lee.

• Cities and Towns:

* Clanton (1866): Named for CSA Brig. Gen. James H. Clanton. * Beauregard, Alabama (unincorporated): Named for CSA Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard. * Wheeler, Alabama (unincorporated): Named for Confederate General Joseph Wheeler.

Parks, Water Features, and Dams

Several parks and water features in Alabama are named after Confederate figures or commemorate the Confederacy:

• Brantley: Confederate Veterans Memorial Park, which is privately owned.
• Demopolis: Confederate Park is the town square.
• Greenville: Confederate Park (1910).
• Marbury: Confederate Memorial Park. This site was once a home for Confederate veterans. It now has a museum.
• Rogersville: Joe Wheeler State Park (1949), Wheeler Lake, and Wheeler Dam are all named for Confederate General Joseph Wheeler.

Roads and Streets

Many roads and streets across Alabama are named after Confederate generals or events.

• Anniston: Quintard Avenue.
• Livingston: Streets like Forrest Drive, Hood Street, Jefferson Davis Drive, Lee Street, Longstreet Drive, Morgan Drive, and Stonewall Street.
• Mobile: Streets like Beauregard Street, Forrest Street, Johnston Street, Polk Street, Robert E. Lee Street, and Van Dorn Street.
• Montgomery: Beauregard Street, Early Street, and Jefferson Davis Avenue.
• Selma: Forrest Avenue.

Schools

Some schools in Alabama are named after Confederate figures:

• Huntsville: Lee High School (1957), whose sports teams are called the Lee Generals.
• Montgomery:

* Jefferson Davis High School (1968). * Sidney Lanier High School (1910).

• Opelika:

* Beauregard Elementary School (2001). * Beauregard High School (1923).

• Satsuma: Robert E. Lee Elementary School.
• Selma: John Tyler Morgan Academy, a private school founded in 1965.
• Vestavia Hills City Schools: The school's mascot is the Rebels. Until 2017, the mascot was the Rebel Man, who was shown as a Civil War rebel holding a Confederate Flag.

City Symbols

Some city symbols in Alabama include Confederate references:

• Mobile: The city flag includes the city seal, which has a small Confederate Battle Flag along with other flags.
• Montgomery: The city flag includes a strip of stars from the Confederate Battle Flag.

Images for kids

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  Flag of Mobile, Alabama

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  Seal of Mobile, Alabama

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  Flag of Montgomery, Alabama