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Museum of the Confederacy - Definition |
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White House of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia, built in 1818, photo circa 1939. The Confederate Museum was housed in this building until 1976, when it moved to newer quarters next door The Museum of the Confederacy is located in Richmond, Virginia. The museum includes the former White House of the Confederacy and maintains the world’s most comprehensive collections of artifacts, manuscripts and photographs from the Confederate States of America and the American Civil War (1861-1865).
History: Confederate Museum
Opened as the Confederate Museum on February 22, 1896, it was housed for many years in the former White House of the Confederacy about 3 blocks north of the Virginia State Capital building. A newer building to better preserve and present the museum's collections was built and opened in 1976 immediately adjacent of the 3/4 acre site. The anchor of the first ironclad warship, C.S.S. Virginia which fought the U.S.S. Monitor in the Battle of Hampton Roads in 1862 is prominently displayed on the front lawn.
White House of the Confederacy
The White House of the Confederacy is a gray stuccoed neoclassical mansion built in 1818 by John Brockenborough, who was president of the Bank of Virginia. It was home to a succession of wealthy families throughout the antebellum period. From 1861 to 1865, the building was the Executive Mansion of the Confederate States of America. Not only the official residence of President Jefferson Davis, his wife Varina and their children, the house was also the social, political and military center of the Confederacy.
Location near Virginia State Capital
The Museum of the Confederacy and the Confederate White House are located immediately adjacent to the Medical College of Virginia hospitals of Virginia Commonwealth University, and the neighbors have shared parking facilities for many years. The neighboring and expanding hi-rise medical facilities have stirred debate about possible relocation of the Museum and possibly the historic White House building. Recent visitors have commented that the time warp effect was not detrimental to their experience, and the 3 block walk from the State Capital was actually accomplished under shelter by cutting through the hospital complex.
Controversy
During a radio interview the Civil War historian James M. McPherson offended many southern heritage organizations when he described board members of the Museum of the Confederacy as "undoubtedly neo-Confederate.". He further said that the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) and the Sons of Confederate Veterans have "white supremacy" as their "thinly veiled agendas." The incident outraged members of the UDC and the SCV, who accused McPherson of using a slur against them. Some SCV and UDC chapters subsequently urged their members to boycott his books and engaged in letter-writing campaigns.[1] (http://users.erols.com/va-udc/mcpherson.html)
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