Millie Rutherford championed women’s education, public health,

and the Lost Cause of the Confederacy

Mildred “Miss Millie” Rutherford , daughter of a UGA history professor and niece of Confederate leaders, advocated for women’s education, white supremacy, and the Lost Cause . She was a very popular public speaker all over the US — known for showing up in a hoop skirt and representing the antebellum South. In many ways, she stepped out of traditional women’s roles, while also opposing women’s suffrage and supporting white supremacy.

Photograph of Mildred Rutherford in her Lost Cause garb

Cite this Article

McPherson, J. (2024, January 6). Millie Rutherford. Complex Cloth. https://complexcloth.org/millie-rutherford/