Jefferson Davis, the first and only president of the Confederacy, left the U.S. Senate to help lead the secessionist states in 1861. But his political skills—or lack thereof—made the new government's ...

This story is part of The Confederate Reckoning, a collaborative project of USA TODAY Network newsrooms across the South to critically examine the legacy of the Confederacy and its influence on ...

In 1865, Confederate Ordnance Chief Josiah Gorgas lamented the leadership of President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis, wondering “where could we get a better or a wiser man?” Pulitzer Prize– and ...

Jefferson Davis, Jr., died after a long illness on January 8, 2024, at his home in Atlanta, Georgia. Born in Greenville, Mississippi, he was predeceased by his son, Jefferson Davis, III; and his ...