Honors College Theses

Publication Date

2024

Major

Anthropology (B.A.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Ryan K. McNutt

Abstract

Georgia's historical markers highlight significant events in Georgia's history in the location where they happened– they are meant to be understood and consumed by the general public. Due to the widespread development of the Lost Cause narrative in the post-Confederate South, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s, historical markers concerning Sherman's March to the Sea contain many false notions about General Sherman and his Union soldiers. Focusing on historical markers in Georgia's Coastal Plain and Low Country, this study analyzes the memorialization of the march and the impact of an invented mythico-history on the narrative portrayed as such falsehoods perpetuate lasting impacts from the American Civil War. For the purpose of this study, the markers are grouped based on location, creating six categories: markers at railroads, bridges, churches, rural areas, urban areas, recognized sites, and those that are missing. Examining material culture, primary historical accounts, and landscape use reveals how the markers' narratives are often erroneous. These distorted narratives shape modern public and cultural perceptions of Sherman's March to the Sea as they hold a weight of authority. Although the use of the markers impacts the reach of the information, markers at registered historical sites with an interpreted landscape stand out more than roadside markers. As such, the markers' context, location, and information presented are integral to understanding how Sherman's March to the Sea is manipulated to bolster the Lost Cause narrative.

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