Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial

The largest bas-relief granite carving in the world, Stone Mountain demonstrates the power and influence of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in raising funds and convincing the state of Georgia to use public funds to commemorate Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis from the 1920s to the memorial's completion in 1972. The Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial is the largest of many monuments meant to memorialize the Lost Cause narrative by glorifying Confederate leaders. The idea for this memorial dates back to the early 1900s and construction began in 1923. The monument was intended to be both a celebration of Georgia's Confederate history and a symbolic retaliation to Reconstruction and its biracial leaders who sought to advance the civil rights of African Americans following the Civil War. United Daughters of the Confederacy leaders like Helen Plane of the UDC Atlanta Chapter led efforts in the 1920s to create the carving. She and other UDC members at that time considered including members of the Ku Klux Klan amongst Confederate leaders in recognition of the 1915 ceremony at Stone Mountain led by William J. Simmons to announce and celebrate the re-establishment of the Klan. The Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial Association hired sculptor Gutzon Borglum who began work but was later fired by the organization and went on to complete Mount Rushmore. Augustus Lukemon was hired in Borglum's place and carved Robert E. Lee's head and torso into the mountain before the effects of the Great Depression reduced available funds. The project saw renewed interest and support by white residents following civil rights victories. Weeks after the 1954 Brown v. Board decision, pro-segregationist gubernatorial candidate Marvin Griffin held a rally at the site of the uncompleted memorial, vowing to finish the monument to the South's "way of life" if elected. Griffin's victory saw the Confederate battle flag added to the state flag of Georgia along with the purchase of Stone Mountain with state funds in 1958. Work on the memorial continued throughout the 1960s and was celebrated as a response to integration. A dedication ceremony in 1970 was followed by the completion of the work in 1972. While the carving itself simply includes three Confederate leaders on horseback, the intent behind its creation symbolizes the institutionalized desire for white supremacy. In recent years, the existence of this monument has spurred debate amongst scholars and Georgia citizens.

The initial work by sculptor Gutzon Borglum was removed by workers under Augustus Lukeman in the 1930s. Lukeman was unable to complete the project because of the lack of funding in the Great Depression. With the support of Governor Marvin Griffin and as a direct response to the efforts of civil rights activists, the project resumed in the late 1950s and was completed thanks to state appropriations, including the purchase of the land that would become Stone Mountain Park.

Many historians have demonstrated a connection between efforts to complete this memorial and the rising tide of African American activism. The State of Georgia purchased Stone Mountain and made it a state park and also established the Stone Mountain Memorial Association, with the governor and his pro-segregation supporters drawing a clear line between their interpretation of the Civil War and their opposition to civil rights. While the governor's pro-segregation views shared similarities of the goals of the Ku Klux Klan, public views of the Klan had changed since the initial conception of UDC and their members who openly celebrated the 1915 Klan restoration ceremony that occurred at Stone Mountain. As a result, the decision was made to only include Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee, and General Stonewall Jackson. 

Stone Mountain Park is still open year-round, with campgrounds and trails for hiking and some bike paths. There is also a scenic tam ride that goes around the mountain. As of 2024, efforts to interpret the site are underway while there is little political support for removing the memorial itself despite significant discomfort with the history of the memorial's creation.

Haley, Claire . Stone Mountain: Carving Fact from Fiction, Atlanta History Center. November 18th, 2022. Accessed June 4th, 2024. https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/blog/stone-mountain-a-brief-history/.

Memorial Carving, Stone Mountain Park. Accessed June 4th, 2024. https://stonemountainpark.com/activity/history-nature/memorial-carving/.

Stewart, Bruce E. . Stone Mountain, New Georgia Encyclopedia. Accessed June 4th, 2024. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/geography-environment/stone-mountain/.