Grant Park in Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Alexander Hamilton Stephens
1812 - 1883
Photographed By Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 2021
1. Alexander Hamilton Stephens Marker
Though small in stature, “Little Aleck” was a giant among men and an impassioned orator of great renown. Following the failure of his peace commission meeting with Lincoln and Seward, he returned to “"Liberty Hall” and was arrested there on May 11, 1865. His frail body sickened during his imprisonment but sheer determination led him to serve as a U.S. Congressman and finally as Governor of Georgia.
Erected by Alfred Holt Colquitt Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the United Daughters of the Confederacy series list.
Location. 33° 44.929′ N, 84° 22.404′ W. Marker is in Atlanta, Georgia, in Fulton County. It is in Grant Park. Memorial can be reached from the intersection of Oakland Avenue SE and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive SE. Marker is affixed to the mausoleum of Col. Joseph F. Burke in Oakland Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Colonel Joseph F. Burke (here, next to this marker); Dr. Daniel Cornelius O'Keefe (within shouting distance of this marker); "Out in the Rain" (within shouting distance of this marker); Moses W. Formwalt (within shouting distance of this marker); Where Hood Watched the Battle of Atlanta (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Dr. Charles d'Alvigny (about 300 feet away); Dr. Noel d'Alvigny (about 300 feet away); William Allen Fuller (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Atlanta.
Regarding Alexander Hamilton Stephens. He is best-known for his “Cornerstone Speech”, delivered in Savannah, Ga. on March 21, 1861 and widely considered by historians to be the clearest conveyance of the philosophy underpinning not only the Confederacy but also the Jim Crow South that followed. In particular, he said:
“… our new government['s] foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery — subordination to the superior race — is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based uponthis great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.”Photographed By Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 20212. Alexander Hamilton Stephens MarkerFeatured marker is on the right.
Contemporaneous transcripts of the speech were based on reporters' notes that were approved by Stephens. He later tried to downplay his remarks on slavery and racial superiority/inferiority, claiming he was misquoted. He also wrote a book making the same argument.
Also see . . .
1. Alexander H. Stephens. Biography of Stephens broken into three parts: His early life and political career, his tenure as the Confederacy's vice president, and his later years. (History Channel, posted Nov. 9, 2009; updated Aug. 21, 2018) (Submitted on November 23, 2021.)
2. Cornerstone Speech. Wikipedia entry on the controversial address, its reception and legacy. (Submitted on November 23, 2021.)
National Archives and Records Administration, circa 1870
3. Alexander Hamilton Stephens (1812-1883)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 23, 2021. This page has been viewed 245 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 23, 2021.
