Florida’s Tribute to the Women of the Confederacy, Jacksonville

Florida's Tribute to Women of the Confederacy Monument
Interior of the Women of the Confederacy Monument
Women of the Confederacy Plaque

Dublin Core

Title

Florida’s Tribute to the Women of the Confederacy, Jacksonville

Description

The idea of erecting a monument to the brave women of the Confederacy began at a reunion of the Florida Division of the United Confederate Veterans (UCV) at Dignan Park in 1900. Not until 1909 did the UCV put their plans into action. They raised $12,000 for the monument, and another $13,000 was contributed by the Florida Legislature. In February 1912, the U.C.V. signed a contract with the McNeel Marble Company of Marietta Georgia, to design and install the monument at a grand cost of $25,000. The division called upon sculptor Allen Newman, who was previously known for his other memorials such as "Triumph of Peace" and "The Doughboy". The monument is a large canopy structure with a standing female placed on top while a seated female figure is placed inside the structure. The standing female is wearing a drape and holding an unfurled flag in her right arm. She stands atop a small tiered base on the roof of the temple. The seated figure wears a draped gown and is seated on a chair inside the temple. The woman represents the embodiment of the “Lost Cause” movement, which minimizes the role of slavery in the Confederacy and Civil War and portrays the Confederacy as a heroic fight for independence. Beside her stands two children, a small boy who stands to her right while a small girl stands on her left. Her arms wrapped around both of the children as they look down upon the open book placed on her lap. This grouping rests on a granite base. The four figures are made of bronze while the base, floor, columns, and roof are made of granite. The four panels that are placed under the roof are made of marble, with a bronze plaque placed in the center. On the bronze plaque, there is an inscription that dedicates this monument to the women of the Confederacy. Let this mute but eloquent structure speak to generations to come, of a generation of the past. Let it repeat perpetually the imperishable story of our women of the 60’s. Those noble women who sacrificed their all upon their country’s altar. Unto their memory, the Florida Division of the United Confederate Veterans affectionately dedicates this monument. Currently, the future is unknown for this monument. In June 2020, the monument was defaced during the Black Lives Matter protests. It was splattered with red paint and graffitied with the letters "BLM."

Creator

Allen George Newman (Sculptor), United Confederate Veterans (Sponsor), Florida Legislature (Contributor), Jno. Williams, Inc. (Founder), McNeel Marble Works (Contractor)

Source

Endnote

1. Zarilla, Olivia. "A Tribute to the Women of the Southern Confederacy Monument."
Clio: Your Guide to History. October 10, 2020. https://theclio.com/entry/116803.


2. Zarilla, Olivia. "A Tribute to the Women of the Southern Confederacy Monument."
Clio: Your Guide to History. October 10, 2020.
https://theclio.com/entry/116803.


3. “Smithsonian Institution Research Information System.” SIRIS, n.d. https://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=ariall&source=~%21siartinventories&uri=full#focus.


4. Zarilla, Olivia. "A Tribute to the Women of the Southern Confederacy Monument."
Clio: Your Guide to History. October 10, 2020.
https://theclio.com/entry/116803.


5. “Smithsonian Institution Research Information System.” SIRIS, n.d. https://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=ariall&source=~%21siartinventories&uri=full#focus.


6. Stroud, Mike. The Monument to Women of the Southern Confederacy, Historical Marker Database. October 9th 2020.
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=58820.


7. Zarilla, Olivia. "A Tribute to the Women of the Southern Confederacy Monument."
Clio: Your Guide to History. October 10, 2020. https://theclio.com/entry/116803.

Date

1915

Contributor

Angela Minning, Alyssa Nusbaum

Language

English

Type

Bronze, Granite and Marble Sculpture

Identifier

HIST 402A Fall 2021

Coverage

Jacksonville, FL

Geolocation