Unraveling the Lost Cause
Thursday Programs | Available
David Jones
The mythology of the Lost Cause emerged after the Civil War, by men and women seeking to reframe the Confederate cause as noble and slavery as peripheral to the conflict. Through selected readings and class discussions, seminar participants examine Lost Cause origins and core tenets, unraveling how the narrative shaped southern identity and influenced historical understanding. The seminar unpacks the mythology, explores the historical evidence, and reveals the ongoing impact on American society.
David Jones holds a PhD from Indiana University and enjoyed a long career in Fortune 500 companies and on university faculties. He teaches on a variety of historical topics at The Learning Center. A Georgia native, he
had two great-grandfathers who fought for the Confederate States during the Civil War. While teaching at Washington and Lee University, he lived next door to the Lee Chapel.
REGISTER
- Note that this class meets every other week.
This program is offered in-person only.
Text for this course: The Myth of the Lost Cause by Edward Bonekemper (ISBN 9781684513604)
Participants please read chapters one through three prior to the first class meeting.
Optional text for this course:
Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause by Ty Seidule (ISBN 9781250239280)