Albany Sons of Confederate Veterans to honor Generals Lee, Jackson with banquet

ALBANY — The Albany Sons of Confederate Veterans will host its annual Lee-Jackson Banquet on Feb. 25 at American Legion Post 30 on Gillionville Road.

“This banquet is to honor the life and values as exhibited by Gens. Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jonathan ‘Stonewall’ Jackson,” said SCV Camp 141 Commander James W. King. “The South and the Confederate States of America have been harshly discriminated against, and positive historical facts and figures have been intentionally suppressed. Biased Northern historians have unfairly caused Southern and Confederate history and its heroes, monuments, memorials and flags to be regulated to a role of less importance than deserved in American history, and to be viewed in a negative perspective by much of the American public.

“The Confederate flag never flew over a single slave ship; however, the American flag flew over a great many.”

According to King, the event begins at 6 p.m. and will feature a one-hour musical tribute to the Confederate States of America with songs like “I Wish I Was In Dixie,” “Rose of Alabama,” “Bonnie Blue Flag,” and “Yellow Rose of Texas” played by the band Southern Sounds to honor the heroes and civilians of the South from 1861-1865.

A catered meal will be served by Southern Elegance, followed by guest speaker Mark Vogl of Texas.

According to an SCV press release, Vogl is a graduate of the Citadel, served as an officer in the U.S. Army and served as an officer in the Texas Division of the SCV. He is an author of Confederate books, which will be available at the banquet.

“A culture war began between the North and South about 1830,” said King. “The North became increasingly socialist and liberal in religion, espousing atheism, Unitarianism and Transcendentalism. The Republican party, at the time, was very much like the Democratic party is today, socialist. The South adhered to the Constitution and Bill of Rights, as established by America’s founding fathers, who were primarily Southern gentlemen from Virginia and remained Orthodox Christian.”

The SCV event will also be attended by members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and is open to anyone interested in Confederate history, heritage and culture.

“Both Lee and Jackson were destined to play major roles in the South’s struggle to achieve independence against overwhelming numbers and resources,” said King. “There were many reasons for Southern secession, one of which was slavery, but it was already a dying institution before the war, and most educated Southerners were in favor of orderly, graduated emancipation.”

An advanced registration fee of $20 is required by mail or in person to attend the banquet. Registration deadline is Monday. For more information contact Albany SCV Camp 141 at (229) 854-1944.