Demosthenian Literary Society

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Demosthenian Hall, built in 1824, as seen on the night of the Demosthenian Literary Society's 200th Anniversary

The Demosthenian Literary Society is a debating society at The University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. It was founded in 1803 by the first graduating class of the University's Franklin College. The society was founded on February 19th, 1803 and the anniversary is celebrated now with the Society's annual All-Night Meeting. It was named after the Greek orator Demosthenes.

Augustin Clayton, Williams Rutherford, and James Jackson are recognized as the founding fathers of Demosthenian. Clayton became the first student to receive his diploma from Franklin College and went on to become a judge of wide respect and a U.S. Representative from Georgia, with Georgia's Clayton County being named in his honor. Rutherford and Jackson went on to become professors at Franklin College.

Demosthenian Hall was constructed in 1824 at a cost to the Society of $4,000. This construction of the Hall gave the Society a place to keep its growing library, which surpassed that of the University's main library.

In recent years, the Demosthenians have hosted two debates with the Oxford Union, splitting the contests 1-1.

The Demosthenian Literary Society meets weekly Thursday nights at 7:00 during the Fall and Spring semesters at Demosthenian Hall on the historic North Campus of The University of Georgia.