(Lexington) In the streets of a small town in the southeast of the United States, in Virginia, men in Confederate uniforms parade, waving the historic flag of the slave South amid Trumpist banners.
A century and a half later, the Civil War continues to haunt minds in the United States, like a wound that has never really healed.
“Continue the fight,” urges Susan Lee, who came with several hundred sympathizers from the former Confederate states to honor the memory of southern generals in Lexington one day in January.
“May God protect the South,” she says.
Between 1861 and 1865, the Civil War, known as the Civil War in the United States, pitted states in the South (the Confederation) against those in the North (the Union), leaving 800,000 dead according to a recent historical estimate.
If the Confederates, fiercely opposed to the abolition of slavery, the system on which their economy was based, lost, they nonetheless remained heroes in the eyes of this crowd. And not traitors or racist figures, as much of the country considers them.
Dressed all in gray or dressed in period dresses, these men and women sing “Dixie”, the unofficial anthem of the Confederate States whose title has since become a nickname given to the south-east of the country.
“We do not need the permission of parachuted politicians and thieves” to pay homage to this past, says Mme Lee.
This passion is far from being confined to a few history buffs, especially as the November presidential election approaches.
In Lexington, “Trump 2024” banners coexist with vintage rifles and other 19th century paraphernalia. The ex-president’s supporters like to say they are also in rebellion against Washington.
Donald Trump himself displayed his sympathy for the legacy of the Confederates, calling General Robert Lee, leader of their army, a “genius”, assuring that this war could have been “negotiated” or even opposing the decision of Joe Biden to rename military bases named after defenders of slavery.
Although the conflict dates back 160 years, it still resonates today.
“It’s really the starting point of many issues that have shaped the history of the United States,” history professor Nina Silber of Boston University told AFP.
Repression and segregation
Proof of its persistence: streets and towns in the south of the country still bear the names of Confederate figures and monuments are dedicated to them.
However, certain statues bearing their likeness have been removed in recent years, under the impetus of anti-racist movements. In December, a Confederate monument was removed from Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of American war heroes.
But the conflict has above all left its mark on people’s minds.
Although the Civil War resulted in the emancipation of four million slaves, African-Americans continued to suffer for nearly a century from violent repression and segregation which helped to deeply entrench racism in American society, points Mme Silver.
This lack of a clear break with the past was particularly highlighted in December when Republican primary candidate Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina, did not mention slavery during a question on the causes of the Civil War, sparking controversy.
“Slavery was the cause. There is no doubt about it,” retorted President Joe Biden in January, visiting this southeastern state.
” Lost cause ”
If all the participants in the Lexington rally interviewed by AFP say they condemn slavery, calling it abject, they nevertheless defend their right to celebrate the Confederation.
For Susan Lee, Confederates fought the Union not to preserve slavery, but to protect states’ rights and values.
This idea, described as the myth of the “lost cause”, is rejected by historians.
It is “part of our heritage to have Confederate ancestors and to continue to believe in the cause today,” Chuck Dransfield, another participant in the parade, told AFP.
Observing the posters for Donald Trump, this retired civil servant adds: “For the most part, his program […] aligns with ours. »
Americans are divided again, he admits. “And I don’t think we’ll ever get together… At least not in my lifetime.”