Southern Historical Society facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Southern Historical Society

Seal of the Southern Historical Society
Formation	April 15, 1869 (1869-04-15)
Founder	Dabney H. Maury
Founded at	New Orleans
Dissolved	1959
Headquarters	Richmond, Virginia
Products	Southern Historical Society Papers

The Southern Historical Society was an American group started to collect and save old documents. These documents were about the government of the Confederate States of America. The society also wanted to record the history of the American Civil War. It began on May 1, 1869, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The society published 52 books called Southern Historical Society Papers. These books helped keep important historical information safe.

What Was the Southern Historical Society?

The Southern Historical Society was created to gather and protect historical items. These items included papers, books, and other objects from the American Civil War. The group wanted to tell the story of the war from the Southern point of view. They aimed to make sure their side of history was remembered.

How the Society Started

Dabney H. Maury helped start the society.

Dabney H. Maury started the Southern Historical Society on April 15, 1869. This happened in New Orleans. Maury and eight other founding members gave their family papers, books, and artifacts. This formed the society's first collection. Their first publication came out in 1876. They kept publishing until 1959.

The society officially formed on May 1, 1869. Important people like Braxton Bragg and Simon Bolivar Buckner signed up. At first, the society had a president and a secretary-treasurer. These were paid jobs. They also chose vice-presidents from each former Confederate state. This helped the society grow across the Southern United States. These vice-presidents also helped collect materials from their areas.

The first leaders included Benjamin Morgan Palmer as president. Robert E. Lee was a vice-president for Virginia. Alexander H. Stephens was a vice-president for Georgia.

What the Society Wanted to Do

The society's main goal was to "collect reliable data" about the Confederate government. They also wanted to record battles and other war events. They looked for many types of Confederate materials. These included old newspapers, speeches, and medical journals. They also wanted maps, farming reports, and weather reports. Even sermons, poems, and songs were on their list.

The society also wanted to record details about wounded soldiers. They collected information on deaths and prisoner exchanges. They also aimed to document records of enslaved people. They wanted to show the effects of freedom on the states where slavery was allowed. Once collected, these materials would be sorted and saved. The plan was to publish them later. They even wanted a fireproof building to keep everything safe.

Telling Their Side of the Story

Benjamin Morgan Palmer was an early president.

In July 1873, the society's president, Benjamin Morgan Palmer, wrote about their mission. He felt it was important to record a "faithful history" of the war. He believed many books at the time were unfair to the South. He said these books often left out good things about Southerners. He also felt they twisted facts. Palmer believed it was time to record events "as they occurred" from their perspective.

The society sent out 6,000 copies of this message. Newspapers and magazines in both the South and North printed it. However, most members were from New Orleans. After one year, only 44 members paid their dues.

Changes and Reorganization

In 1870, B. M. Palmer was president. When he decided not to run again, Braxton Bragg took over. Dabney H. Maury became vice-president. Later, the society faced some challenges. Meetings were not held often.

On August 14, 1873, the society held a big meeting to reorganize. This meeting was in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Representatives from many Southern states attended. After this, the society moved its offices and archives. They moved from New Orleans to Richmond, Virginia.

A writer from Charlottesville, Virginia, wrote to The New York Times in 1873. They said the society's meeting might seem harmless. Its goal was to defend "the Lost Cause" in history. The writer felt its true goals might not be as innocent as they seemed.

The Society's Seal

In October 1888, the society chose a special seal. A seal is like a stamp or emblem. This seal was based on the great seal of the Confederate States of America. It was designed by Robert A. Brock. The circular seal has a motto: "The Southern Historical Society, Organized May 1, 1869; Deo Vindice". This motto means "God our Vindicator." In the middle, there is a man on a horse. It also says "Re–organized Aug.15.1873." A wreath of plants surrounds the image.

What the Society Left Behind

Modern historians say the society's main goal was to promote the "Lost Cause." The "Lost Cause" was a belief that the Confederate side fought for a noble reason. It also suggested that the South lost due to overwhelming numbers, not because their cause was wrong. Historian Alan T. Nolan noted that the society's writings aimed to "vindicate" (clear the name of) the South's "great struggle." This shows they had a specific point of view.

Historian Gaines Foster said it was a historical group that became very important in the Confederate tradition. Through their publications, a group of writers in Virginia "refought the war."

The society settled in Richmond, Virginia. This city later became home to the American Civil War Museum. The society also influenced groups like the Sons of Confederate Veterans. It also affected activists who supported showing the Confederate battle flag in public.

Historians today use the society's journal for research on the Civil War. It helps them understand how historical memory can be shaped. One historian said the Southern Papers are a "storehouse of information" about the Confederacy. They are a large collection of battle stories and other facts about the Southern armies during the Civil War.

Notable Members and Contributors

• Alexander Hunter (novelist)