We explore the Lost Cause narrative—the myth that the South didn't actually secede from the Union and fight the Civil War over slavery. First, we focus on Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens' chilling "Cornerstone Speech" defining the cause of the Confederacy, and then Howard talks with Dr. Karen L. Cox about her fascinating book "No Common Ground: Confederate Monuments and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice."Please note: the interview with Dr. Cox was recorded in October 2022 and does not take into account any events that transpired since then.Sources:"The Black family that claims Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, as an ancestor" by Jim Galloway, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, July 17, 2020"Confederacy leader’s Black, white heirs unbury past at Georgia estate" by Jim Galloway, The Atlanta Journal-Constitutuon, June 23, 2023Find show notes, additional sources, and more at plodpod.comConsider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidentsCheck out our merch store at https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294