Confederated Southern Memorial Association

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Confederated Southern Memorial Association (U.S.)
AbbreviationCSMA
FormationMay 30, 1900
Founded at Louisville, Kentucky, on
Type Nonprofit
Purpose"Strictly Memorial and Historical"
Origins Ladies' Memorial Associations
Region served
Southern United States
Fields Neo-Confederate organization that unified state and regional associations
Affiliations United Confederate Veterans
Kate Walker Behan, president general, CSMA Kate Walker Behan (History of the confederated memorial associations of the South, 1904).png
Kate Walker Behan, president general, CSMA
Margaret O'Connor Wilson, president general, CSMA Margaret O'Conner Wilson (ca. 1880).png
Margaret O'Connor Wilson, president general, CSMA

Confederated Southern Memorial Association (Confederated Southern Memorial Association (U.S.); acronym CSMA; est. 1900) was a Neo-Confederate women's organization of unified memorial associations of the Southern United States. It was composed of 70 women's memorial associations, [1] which had formed between 1861 and 1900. [2] The CSMA was established at Louisville, Kentucky, on May 30, 1900. At that meeting, the women stated that they were unwilling to lose their identity as memorial associations, or to merge themselves into the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Instead, by this union of all Memorial Associations, it was believed that the women of the South would perpetuate more certainly the purposes for which each association had been individually laboring, and would more firmly cement the ties which already existed between them. An increase in membership and more intelligent knowledge of the history of the Confederate Cause would also be the natural result of annual meetings. [3]

Contents

History

Ladies' Memorial Associations (1861-1900)

Immediately after the fall of the Confederacy, the women of the South, reacting to social values, returned to their homes and conservative sex roles, creating a place of security for their returning soldiers. [4] But they also mobilized and commenced their memorial work with Ladies' Memorial Associations in their States and or regions. Some of these Associations were formed as far back as 1861. [5] Since then, they built monuments and celebrated each year with ceremonies and decoration of the graves. Each association worked on in its own plan of Memorial, emulated and encouraged by the efforts of other States. [3]

CSMA establishment (1900)

Early in the spring of 1900, at a regular monthly meeting of the Southern Memorial Association of Fayetteville, Arkansas, on motion of Miss Julia A. Garside (later Mrs. W. B. Welch), it was decided to endeavor to organize all Memorial Associations of the South into a general federation, the object being to commemorate the work already done and to insure its continuance. The Corresponding Secretary was instructed to write to associations elsewhere and ask their cooperation. Cordial responses were received and arrangements made for delegates from each association to meet at the United Confederate Veterans (UCV) Reunion at Louisville, Kentucky. [3]

A meeting was held at the Galt House, May 30, 1900, at which time, the organization was established, delegates from thirteen associations being present. The following officers were elected for a term of three years: President, Kate Walker Behan (Mrs. W. J. Behan), of White Castle, La.; Recording Secretary, Miss Daisy M. L. Hodgson, New Orleans, La.; Corresponding Secretary, Miss Sue H. Walker, Fayetteville, Ark.; Historian, Mrs. Sarah Polk Blake, and a Vice President from each, of the States represented. A Committee on Constitution and By-Laws was appointed. At a subsequent meeting the same was submitted and adopted. The Constitution provided that this organization would be called "The Confederated Southern Memorial Association", and that its object would be, "Strictly Memorial and Historical". [3]

Work

The work of the Association was memorial and monumental. The care of the graves of the Confederate dead and the erection of monuments to their memory was the special trust of the Association. As the veteran women of the Association died, younger women joined the ranks to continue the work begun by their female members. Those who joined later were just as enthusiastic and eager to take up the work as those who had been engaged in it for years. [5]

In addition to the general work of the Confederation, the Associations gave evidence of renewed interest in local work by increased membership, regular meetings, and interesting programs for Memorial Day exercises. [3]

Publications

An important undertaking of the CSMA was the collection and compilation of the histories of all the memorial associations, to preserve them in book form. A copy of this book, History of the Confederated Memorial Associations of the South, would be placed in all the Confederate Museums and principal libraries. [3]

Notable members

Associations enrolled in the CSMA

History of the confederated memorial associations of the South (1904)

References

  1. ↑ Southern Historical Society (1909). Southern Historical Society Papers. Virginia Historical Society. p. 50. Retrieved 17 November 2024.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  2. ↑ Decker, Juilee (15 October 2019). Enid Yandell: Kentucky's Pioneer Sculptor. University Press of Kentucky. p. 254. ISBN   978-0-8131-7865-3 . Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Confederated Southern Memorial Association (U.S.), ed. (1904). History of the confederated memorial associations of the South. New Orleans: The Graham Press. Retrieved 17 November 2024– via Internet Archive.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  4. ↑ Rable, George C. (April 1991). Civil Wars: Women and the Crisis of Southern Nationalism. University of Illinois Press. p. 364. ISBN   978-0-252-06212-4 . Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  5. 1 2 Welch, Mrs. W. B. (April 1917). "CONFEDERATED SOUTHERN MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION, FAYETTEVILLE, ARK". Confederate Veteran. 25 (4). Nashville: 183. Retrieved 17 November 2024.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
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