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LGBT

Pride and Prejudice: A Life-Long Battle from Civil Rights to LGBT Rights

It was 1962 in Jackson, and Dee Smathers lived in an apartment on State Street with her first college roommate turned lover. Dee's family was living out of the state, …

State

Dan Jones on Mississippi Flag: 'It's Time to Change'

I join my voice to that of others encouraging a change in our state flag. My life experience has offered many opportunities for conversations with many people from all walks …

Editor's Note

O, Speak and We Shall Live

On the night of June 16, 1964, Bud and Beatrice Cole, along with four other adults and two children, were attending a stewards' meeting to discuss finances at the Mt. …

Sports

Home Cookin’ Capsule

Jackson, Miss. small forward Mario Kegler (Callaway High School/Arlington Country Day School) is the No. 36 ranked recruit in the latest ESPN.com Top 100.

Bryan's Rant

Summer League of Dreams

While everyone waits for football to begin, Mississippi basketball fans can see more of the sport this summer.

Food

Shaken, Not Stirred

I often find myself drinking seasonally. Generally, that means more red wine and full-bodied beverages in the winter and lighter wines in the summer. Spring and summer also make me …

Music

The Bratton Sound

Bob Bratton went looking for a sound, but he ended up creating it himself. The Madison resident has been building custom guitar amplifiers for the past year, but has only …

Politics

Alphonso Hunter: Rebuild Hinds County

This year, Alphonso Hunter, 56, is making another bid for the Hinds County District 2 Supervisor seat. He recently sat down with the JFP to talk about his vision for …

National

After Charleston, South Revisits Its Many Confederate Images

Calls to remove Confederate imagery from public places multiplied rapidly across the South and beyond Tuesday, with opponents eyeing state flags, license plates and statues of Civil War politicians and …

Politics

Lt. Gov. Reeves: Fate of State Flag Will 'Be Decided by the People of Mississippi'

Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves released a statement today on the Mississippi state flag.

Person of the Day

Deidra Jones-Snell

Deidra Jones-Snell has done her fair share of traveling.

National

From Terrorists to Politicians, the Council of Conservative Citizens Has a Wide Reach

When I clicked on Dylann Roof's alleged racist "manifesto" yesterday, I wasn't surprised at all to see the name of the Council of Conservative Citizens name-checked. In some ways, I …

National

White Supremacist Donated to GOP Presidential Candidates

The leader of a white supremacist group cited by Charleston church murder suspect Dylann Roof made $65,000 in donations to Republicans, including several to Republican presidential candidates, The Guardian newspaper …

World

Iran, EU Hold Nuclear Talks as June 30 Deadline Nears

Iran's foreign minister and European Union counterparts are holding talks in an effort to reach a deal over Tehran's nuclear program before a June 30 deadline.

June 21, 2015

Confederates Speak: Yes, We Fought the Civil War Over Slavery

By Donna Ladd

If you grew up in the South, and especially if you're white, you've likely been told repeatedly (maybe even in a classroom) that "the Civil War wasn't fought over slavery." (They might have even called it the "War Between the States" or even the "War of Northern Aggression.") "It was about economics," they might say. Or, almost always, "It was over state's rights," as if that somehow means that it wasn't actually over a state's right to allow its white citizens to own and abuse black human beings. It's remarkable how many white southerners, and others around the country, actually believe this myth. And it is regularly used as an excuse to justify keeping the Confederate battle flag and other symbols of the Confederacy and the "lost cause" of slavery imbedded into government, public and private schools, and some state universities in every way possible—especially in the taxpayer-funded state flags that still adorn several state capitols, including Mississippi's.

But the problem is: The Confederate leaders themselves had no reason then to hide what they were fighting the Civil War over. They were forthright about both why they were seceding into the Confederacy and their beliefs about the white supremacy (and its spoils of wealth) that they were willing to fighting to keep in place. Ever since I first read Mississippi's Declaration of Secession, I've used it as a response to someone who decides to spread these myths in my presence.

Now, in the wake of the Charleston massacre by an apparent white supremacist, and as the country is engaging in a welcome conversation about the Confederate flag, I've compiled a list of primary sources from the mouths and pens of the Confederate leaders themselves that could prove useful as you deal with the myths that continue to be used to justify racism and racist symbols. (Hat tip to Kristy Wittman Howell who had posted several of the more obscure links on Facebook.) Please suggest others in the comments.

Mississippi's Declaration of Secession: "Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery - the greatest material interest of the world. Its labor supplies the product, which constitutes by far the largest and most important portions of commerce of the earth. These products are peculiar to the climate verging on the tropical regions, and by an imperious law of nature, none but the black race can bear exposure to the tropical sun. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization."

All the Declarations of Secession by southern states that did them: From Texas' Declaration: "In all the non-slave-holding States, in violation of that good faith and comity which should exist between entirely distinct nations, the people have formed themselves into a great sectional party, now strong enough in numbers to control the affairs of each of those States, based upon an unnatural feeling of hostility to these Southern States and their beneficent and patriarchal system of …

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