Abstract
This thesis examines how Mildred Lewis Rutherford’s activism to promote Lost Cause ideology in education relates to current cultural and political struggles over historical narratives. Drawing on materials from the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Georgia Archives, and their online repository, the research analyzes Rutherford’s works, such as A Measuring Rod to Test Text Books and Truths of History, alongside Georgia-approved textbooks like Bloodworth’s Getting Acquainted with Georgia and Bonner’s The Georgia Story. These texts censored slavery, romanticized the Confederacy, and misrepresented history to uphold Southern exceptionalism and racial hierarchy. Organizations like the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Children of the Confederacy spread these values through educational materials, public ceremonies, and monuments, influencing collective memory by erasing marginalized voices and endorsing white supremacy. Rutherford’s activism, rooted in Confederate Motherhood, presented women as guardians of Confederate ideals passed to future generations. The Stone Mountain Memorial exemplifies how these ideals were codified in public spaces, linking them to ongoing racial inequality. Modern events, such as the 2017 Charlottesville rally, echo Rutherford’s methods, with Confederate imagery and nationalist rhetoric promoting exclusion. Political pressure groups like Moms for Liberty and policies like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill continue this legacy of censorship by advocating book bans to suppress diverse perspectives and reinforce “traditional” heteronormative values. This research highlights the lasting impact of Rutherford’s activism and the need to protect intellectual freedom in education today.