Introduction; 1. Rhetoric, Celebration, and Ritual: Building a Collective Memory in the Postwar South; 2. Remembering the Confederacy: Ceremony in the Postwar South, 1865-1920s; 3. The Road to Secession and War: The Oratorical Defense of the Confederacy and the Old South; 4. Creating the Myths of the War: Martyrs and Scapegoats of the Confederacy; 5. Creating the Myths of Reconstruction, Redemption, Reconciliation, and the New and Future South: The Rest of the Story; 6. The Persistence of a Myth: The Lost Cause in the Modern South; Notes; Bibliography; Index.
Summary
Rhetoric and ritual commemorating war has been a part of human culture for ages. In "Enduring Legacy," W. Stuart Towns explores the crucial role of rhetoric and oratory in creating and propagating a "Lost Cause" public memory of the American South. "Enduring Legacy" explores the vital place of ceremonial oratory in the oral tradition in the South. It analyses how rituals such as Confederate Memorial Day, Confederate veteran reunions, and dedication of Confederate monuments have contributed to creating and sustaining a Lost Cause pa.
