February 22, 1862: President Jefferson Davis is inaugurated for a six-year term as the President of the CSA

Today is the 150th anniversary of President Jefferson Davis' inauguration for a six-year term as President of the Confederate States of America. This may be confusing to some, since President Davis was originally elected on February 9, 1861 and inaugurated on February 18, 1861. That election, however, was held by the Provisional Congress of the CSA, choosing him to serve as Temporary President. His election to serve a six-year term as President was not held until the following year, meaning that his true inauguration was on February 22, 1862.

Here is a picture of President Jefferson Davis from the National Archives


This map of the Union and Confederate geographic divisions is from the Library of Congress



To learn more about Jefferson Davis or the Confederate States of America, check out these resources...

Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Jefferson Davis, Architect of the Capitol

Pictorial Americana: Confederate States of America, Library of Congress

American Memory: Timeline of the Civil War, Library of Congress

Confederate States of America Records: a Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress




Sonnet Ireland
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Urban and Transportation Studies, Engineering

February 8, 1861: Confederate States of America Formed

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Confederate States of America. On February 8, 1861, the first seven states to secede would create the Confederate Constitution and form the CSA: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. The CSA would eventually include a total of 11 states, including Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia.

On February 9, 1861, Jefferson Davis was elected Provisional President of the CSA. His term would end on May 5, 1865 with the fall of the Confederacy. He was captured on May 10th of that year and charged with treason. He was never tried, but he was stripped of his eligibility to run for public office.

For more information about the Civil War, the Confederate States of America, or Jefferson Davis, check out these resources:

Selected Civil War Photographs
Library of Congress (includes a fairly thorough timeline of the Civil War)

U.S. History Learner
U.S. Department of State (Civil War-related information begins on p.32)

America's Story: Civil War
Library of Congress

Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
National Park Service

Pictorial Americana: Confederate States of America
Library of Congress

Jefferson Davis
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Today in History: Jefferson Davis Elected
Library of Congress




Sonnet Ireland
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Urban Studies, Engineering

Birthday of President Jefferson Davis, Confederate States of America

Today marks the 201st birthday of the only president of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis. President Davis served for the entire existence of the Confederate States of America, from 1861 to 1865. To learn more, click on these links:

The Papers of Jefferson Davis

American Civil War: Jefferson Davis, President Confederate States of America

The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government       by Jefferson Davis (Google Books)

Sonnet Erin Brown
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Earth & Environmental Sciences, Philosophy