Camden Confederate Monument

The Camden Confederate Monument is unique in that it honors the contributions of Arkansas women to the Confederate cause. The glorification of Confederate women is a central tenet of Lost Cause ideology, a set of beliefs that allowed white Southerners to cope with defeat following the Civil War. Lost Cause ideology minimizes slavery as the war’s cause, glorifies Confederate bravery, and lauds Confederate women for their loyalty and sacrifice. In reality, Southern women’s sentiments were more mixed; as the wore dragged on, support for the Confederacy eroded among some poor white Southern women. African-American women deeply resisted the Confederacy.

As the 19th century slid into the 20th, Southern communities and organizations such as the United Confederate Veterans (UCV) and the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) erected monuments to the passing generation of Confederate veterans. These monuments also provided an avenue to reinforce white supremacy and the Lost Cause. Camden’s Confederate Monument was the effort of the local UCV and UDC chapters and stands on the Ouachita County Courthouse lawn. The monument consists of a granite obelisk, in front of which stands a marble sculpture of a Southern woman in a dress carrying a flagpole. Among the monument’s inscriptions reads:

“To the Confederate women whose pious ministration to our wounded soldiers, soothed the last hours of those who died far from the objects of their tenderest love; whose domestic labors contributed much to supply the wants of our defenders in the field, whose zealous faith in our cause a guiding start undimmed by the darkest clouds of war; whose fortitude sustained them under all the privations to which they were subjected; and whose patriotism will teach their children to emulated the deeds of their sires.”[3]

The monument was dedicated in April 1915. The dedication speech was given by Judge W.T. Martin. He lauded the sculpture: “She holds the flag of her country with a spirit of devotion as deep as her bearing is lofty, as pure as her motives are divine, and in reverent contrite, devotional heart imploring the Giver of all good for the success of Southern Arms, victory upon the Southern cross, and the flag which she is pressing so fondly to her bosom floating in beauty and triumph above the cause she loves so well.”[1]

In recent years, nationwide protests over systemic racism have caused many communities to reexamine the racist and Lost Cause origins of Confederate monuments. In the summer of 2020, the local Camden NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) chapter asked that the statue be relocated at a Quorum Court meeting. As chapter president Angela Snowden stated, “As a resident of Ouachita County I am asking you to consider removing the monument that stands for white supremacy. I have spent time researching the Civil War and the ways in which white Southerners sought to reclaim power over Black Southerners.” Yet many local citizens spoke in opposition to its removal. The issue was put to a vote in November 2020, and over 70% of county residents voted to keep the monument in place.

1. Mark K. Christ. "Camden Confederate Monument." February 14, 2020. Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Web. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/camden-confederate-monument-13686/

2. Charles Russell Logan. Something So Dim It Must Be Holy: Civil War Commemorative Sculpture in Arkansas, 1886-1934. Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. 1997. Web. Accessed November 15, 2020. http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/News-and-Events/publications

3. "Camden Confederate Monument." National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. 1996. National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Digitized. Accessed November 15, 2020. http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/National-Register-Listings/PDF/OU0046S.nr.pdf

4. "2 south Arkansas counties vote to keep Confederate monuments." November 4, 2020. ABC 7. Web. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://katv.com/news/local/2-south-arkansas-counties-vote-to-keep-confederate-monuments

5. Bradly Gill. "Monument debate comes to Quorum Court." July 9, 2020. Camden News. Web. Accessed November 15, 2020. https://www.camdenarknews.com/news/2020/jul/09/monument-debate-comes-quorum-court/