21 March 1861
Political speechSupplement
Alexander Stephens’s Cornerstone Speech explicitly defends racial slavery
Savannah, Georgia
Confederate vice president Alexander Stephens described Black subordination and slavery as foundations of the Confederacy. The speech made racial hierarchy explicit in the defense of secession.
Dates preserve the source’s precision. This entry is part of a selected historical record; its qualifications and sources are retained below.
Context / qualification
This describes Stephens’s racist claims, not an endorsement. A speech is evidence of political ideology; it is distinct from the text of a constitution or statute.