Membership Information of
The Sons of Confederate Veterans
The citizen-soldiers who fought for the Confederacy personified the
best qualities of America. The preservation of liberty and freedom was
the motivating factor in the South's decision to fight the Second American
Revolution. The tenacity with which Confederate soldiers fought underscored
their belief in the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. These attributes
are the underpinning of our democratic society and represent the foundation
on which this nation was built.
Today, the Sons of Confederate Veterans is preserving the history and
legacy of these heroes, so future generations can understand the motives
that animated the Southern Cause.
The SCV is the direct heir of the United Confederate Veterans, and the
oldest hereditary organization for male descendants of Confederate soldiers.
Organized at Richmond, Virginia in 1896, the SCV continues to serve as
a historical, patriotic, and non-political organization dedicated to insuring
that a true history of the 1861-1865 period is preserved.
Membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans is open to all male descendants
of any veteran who served honorably in the Confederate armed forces. Membership
can be obtained through either direct or collateral family lines and kinship
to a veteran must be documented genealogically. The minimum age for membership
is 12.
Proof of kinship to a Confederate soldier can take many forms. The easiest
method is to contact the archives of the state from which the soldier fought
and obtain a copy of the veteran's military service record. All Southern
state's archives have microfilm records of the soldiers who fought from
that state, and a copy of the information can be obtained for a nominal
fee. In addition, the former Confederate states awarded pensions to veterans
and their widows. All of these records contain a wealth of information
that can be used to document military service.
The SCV has a network of genealogists to assist you in tracing you ancestor's
Confederate service.
The SCV has ongoing programs at the local, state, and national levels which
offer members a wide range of activities. Preservation work, marking Confederate
soldier's graves, historical re-enactments, scholarly publications, and
regular meetings to discuss the military and political history of the War
Between the States are only a few of the activities sponsored by local
units, called camps.
All state organization, known as Divisions, hold annual conventions, and
many publish regular newsletters to the membership dealing with statewide
issues. Each Division has a corps of officers elected by the membership
who coordinate the work of camps and the national organization.
Nationally, the SCV is governed by its members acting through delegates
to the annual convention. The General Executive Council, composed of elected
and appointed officers, conducts the organization's business between conventions.
The administrative work of the SCV is conducted at the national headquarters,
'Elm Springs,' a restored ante-bellum home at Columbia, Tennessee.
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In addition to the privilege of belonging to an organization devoted exclusively
to commemorating and honoring Confederate soldiers, members are eligible
for other benefits. Every member receives The Confederate Veteran, the
bi-monthly national magazine which contains in-depth articles on the war
along news affecting Southern heritage. The programs of the SCV range from
assistance to undergraduate students through the General Stand Watie Scholarship
to medical research grants given through the Brooks Fund. National historical
symposiums, reprinting of rare books, and the erection of monuments are
just a few of the other projects endorsed by the SCV.
The SCV works in conjunction with other historical groups to preserve Confederate
history. However, it is not affiliated with any other group other than
the Military Order of the Stars and Bars, composed of male descendants
of the Southern Officers Corps. The SCV rejects any group whose actions
tarnish or distort the image of the Confederate soldier or his reasons
for fighting.
If you are interested in perpetuating the ideals that motivated your Confederate
ancestor, the SCV needs you. The memory and reputation of the Confederate
soldier, as well as the motives for his suffering and sacrifice, are being
consciously distorted by some in an attempt to alter history. Unless the
descendants of Southern soldiers resist those efforts, a unique part of
our nations' cultural heritage will cease to exist.
To Join, call
1-800-MY-DIXIE
Contact the Currahee Rangers to join your local camp. Membership dues are a total of $40.00/yr and include your state and local dues. Included in the membership dues are "The Confederate Veteran" and "The Georgia Confederate", both bi-monthly publications.
E-Mail your request to the following:
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This page was last updated 29 April 2004