Winnie Davis
Women did not just participate in the Lost Cause for the present or past. Members intended their organizations to leave a lasting legacy for the future as well. The histories, monuments, and political actions created an environment where new generations would thrive. The symbol of the future of the South became Varina Anne “Winnie” Davis. She was the daughter of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, and Varina Davis, First Lady of the Confederacy. Southern women idolized Winnie Davis during and after the war. In 1890, organizations began to label her as the Daughter of the Confederacy. The United Daughters of the Confederacy used this phrase and her fame to when naming their organization. She died in 1898 as young women. Winnie’s death reinforced her as an icon for Southern women to aspire to in their commitment to the Lost Cause.
