AMERICUS — The Alexander H. Stephens Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans in Americus, annually sponsors a Confederate Memorial Day Service during the month of April. By Georgia Law, the month of April is Confederate History and Heritage Month, and April 26 (or the Monday or Friday closest to that date), is a state holiday with Georgia state employees not working that day. Confederate Memorial Day has been a state holiday in Georgia for over 140 years.
This year the Confederate Memorial Service will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23 at the Confederate plot in Oak Grave Cemetery in Americus. The public is invited to attend.
Guest speaker for the Memorial Service is Randy Young, an educator from Thomas County Central High School. Young is an author and an accomplished musician. He is a regular writer and columnist for the Thomasville Times and the radio voice for the Thomas County Yellow Jackets. He was recently awarded the Randall Brackin Jones National History Teacher of the Year by the Military Order of the Stars and Bars.
John Carroll is the Commander of the Alexander H. Stephens Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. For more information about the Memorial Service or the Sons of Confederate Veterans, contact him at 229-924-8751.
The local Confederate re-enactment group, “The Muckalee Guards,” under the leadership of Walter Stapleton, will also participate in the memorial service.