1939 Confederate Veterans Reunion Parade, Atlanta
To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit the vindication of the Cause for which we fought; to your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Remember, it is your duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations.
Lt. Genl.
Stephen D. Lee, C.S.A.
Commander, United Confederate Veterans, 1906
What is the Sons of Confederate
Veterans?
The citizen-soldiers who fought for the Confederacy
personified the best qualities of America. The preservation
of liberty and freedom was the motivating factor in the
South's decision to fight the Second American Revolution.
The tenacity with which Confederate soldiers fought
underscored their belief in the rights guaranteed by the
Constitution. These attributes are the underpinning of our
democratic society and represent the foundation on which
this nation was built.
Today, the Sons of Confederate Veterans is preserving the
history and legacy of these heroes, so future generations
can understand the motives that animated the Southern
Cause. Join us today and help keep the Southern Cause
alive!
Following the War Between the States, the surviving
Southern soldiers came together to form a veterans
organization known as the United Confederate Veterans
[UCV]. The Sons of Confederate Veterans [SCV] is the heir
to this legacy.
Formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1896, the SCV continues to
serve as an historical, patriotic and cultural organization
dedicated to insuring that a true history of the 1861 --
1865 period and our Confederate American heritage and
culture are preserved and transmitted intact to future
generations.
The SCV has
ongoing programs at the local, state, and national levels
which offer members a wide range of activities.
Preservation work, marking Confederate soldier's graves,
historical re-enactments, scholarly publications, and
regular meetings to discuss the military and political
history of the War Between the States are only a few of the
activities sponsored by local units, called camps.
All state organizations, known as Divisions, hold annual
conventions, and many publish regular newsletters to the
membership dealing with statewide issues. Each Division has
a corps of officers elected by the membership who
coordinate the work of camps and the national organization.
Nationally, the SCV is governed by its members acting
through delegates to the annual convention. The General
Executive Council, composed of elected and appointed
officers, conducts the organization's business between
conventions. The administrative work of the SCV is
conducted at the national headquarters, 'Elm Springs,' a
restored antebellum home at Columbia, Tennessee.
In addition to the privilege of belonging to an
organization devoted exclusively to commemorating and
honoring Confederate soldiers, members are eligible for
other benefits. Every member receives The Confederate
Veteran, the bi-monthly national magazine which contains
in-depth articles on the war along news affecting Southern
heritage. The programs of the SCV range from assistance to
undergraduate students through the General Stand Watie
Scholarship to medical research grants given through the
Brooks Fund. National historical symposiums, reprinting of
rare books, and the erection of monuments are just a few of
the other projects endorsed by the SCV.
The SCV works in conjunction with other historical groups
to preserve Confederate history. However, it is not
affiliated with any other group. The SCV rejects any group
whose actions tarnish or distort the image of the
Confederate soldier or his reasons for fighting.
If you are interested in perpetuating the ideals that
motivated your Confederate ancestor, the SCV needs you. The
memory and reputation of the Confederate soldier, as well
as the motives for his suffering and sacrifice, are being
consciously distorted by some in an attempt to alter
history. Unless the descendants of Southern soldiers resist
those efforts, a unique part of our nations' cultural
heritage will cease to exist.