Dublin Core
Title
For Southern Independence Monument, Socorro, New Mexico
Description
The monument is located in the Socorro Presbyterian Cemetery and was erected on February 24, 2012 by the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The pink granite monument weighs 5300 pounds and was mined from a Texas quarry. It is located on a burial plot that was given to the Sons of Confederate Veterans in 2006 by the Socorro Cemetery Association. The monument recreates the design of a traditional Confederate headstone that can be found in southern Confederate cemeteries. It was erected on the anniversary of the Battles for Socorro, which began on February 24, 1862, and ended with Union forces surrendering the following day. The purpose of the monument was to honor Texas citizens who volunteered to fight for the Confederacy in various conflicts in New Mexico during the Civil War. While New Mexico was not the main battle ground of the Civil War, some important battles, such as the Battle of Valverde, took place within Socorro County. The monument received backlash from the public as well as the Mayor of Socorro for its representation and for “glorifying” the Confederacy. Controversy also arose with the inscription of the granite slab, which refers to the Civil War as, “THE WAR FOR SOUTHERN INDEPENDENCE” as this distinction is part of the Lost Cause ideology. The inscription also takes a controversial stance by indicating that the Confederacy was the victim and that the memorialization is dedicated to those who gave their lives “IN THE DEFENSE OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.” In July 2020, following a movement for Confederate monuments removal in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd, the monument was vandalized. A person used what appeared to have been a firearm to deface the monument. No plan for the removal of the monument had been made as of December 2021.
Creator
Sons of Confederate Veterans and Daughters of the Confederacy
Source
- Bateau, Suzanne. “Confederate Memorial Erected in Socorro Cemetery”. El Defensor Chieftain (original upload). Reuploaded on Dixie Outfitters. February 18, 2012. https://dixieoutfitters.com/2015/04/04/memorial-in-socorro-cemetery/
- Bateau, Suzanne. “Confederate Memorial Sparks Controversy in Socorro”. Albuquerque Journal. February 28, 2012. https://www.abqjournal.com/90679/confederate-memorial-creates-controversy-in-socorro.html
- “For Southern Independence”. HMdb.org. June 24, 2012. Revised June 16, 2016. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=64055
- “Socorro Mayor Wary Of Confederate Memorial”. KOAT Action News. February 29, 2012. https://www.koat.com/article/socorro-mayor-wary-of-confederate-memorial/5039425
- Nathanson, Rick. “The South Shall Not Rise in Socorro”. Albuquerque Journal. August 2, 2020. https://www.abqjournal.com/1481896/the-south-shall-not-rise-in-socorro.html
Date
February 24, 2012
Contributor
Jacob Dopudja, Michael Danciu
Language
English
Type
Monument
Identifier
HIST 402A Fall 2021
Coverage
Socorro, New Mexico