The U.S. is preparing to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday dedicated to honoring the civil rights leader's legacy. However, in Alabama and Mississippi, the day also commemorates Robert E. Lee, the Confederate general.
Both states recognize King and Lee on the third Monday in January. Their state governments established Lee's holiday over a century ago and later merged it with the federal holiday for King, which was created in the 1980s.
This peculiar contrast of honoring two figures with vastly different legacies has continued for many years.
### How It Happened
Both Robert E. Lee and Martin Luther King Jr. share January birthdays—Lee was born on January 19, 1807, while King was born on January 15, 1929.
In the aftermath of the Civil War, white politicians in Southern states established several holidays to honor Confederate leaders and fallen soldiers. Alabama lawmakers designated a state holiday for Lee in 1901, followed by Mississippi in 1910.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the third Monday of January to commemorate the civil rights leader. Over time, states gradually incorporated this holiday into their calendars. Alabama and Mississippi officially recognized Martin Luther King Day as a state holiday in the 1980s, merging it with their existing holiday for Lee.
While some other Southern states once observed a combined holiday, they have since discontinued the practice, leaving only Alabama and Mississippi with a single day honoring both King and Lee.
### Efforts to Separate the Holidays
In recent years, Black lawmakers in Alabama and Mississippi have made several attempts to separate the holidays honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee, but they have yet to succeed.
Rep. Kenyatté Hassell plans to renew efforts in Alabama when the legislative session begins next month. He believes it is disrespectful to celebrate King alongside a Confederate general. "There are fundamental differences between General Lee and Dr. King. The Confederate general fought to preserve slavery and uphold the institution of white supremacy, while Dr. King was a civil rights leader advocating for equality and justice for all," said Hassell, a Democrat from Montgomery.
Both holidays are observed in states where Black residents comprise over a quarter of the population—36% in Mississippi and 27% in Alabama.
King gained prominence in the 1950s as the leader of the boycott against Montgomery's segregated bus system. In 2023, Hassell introduced legislation, co-sponsored by more than a dozen lawmakers, aimed at removing Lee's name from the January holiday. Another proposed bill would have shifted Lee's holiday to Columbus Day in October, aligning with the month of his death. Neither bill was brought to a floor vote.
In Mississippi, Rep. Kabir Karriem, a Democrat from Columbus, introduced legislation this session to remove recognition of Lee from the holiday. The bill emphasizes the goal of "reflecting the transformative power of Mississippi from its past to its present by celebrating holidays that fully acknowledge the remarkable strides made by all citizens."
### Fewer Confederate Holidays Across the South
Many Southern states have chosen to abolish or rename holidays associated with the Confederacy.
In 2022, Louisiana removed Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from its list of official state holidays. Virginia followed suit in 2020 by eliminating a holiday honoring Lee and Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, both of whom were born in the state, in favor of making Election Day a state holiday.
Georgia changed Confederate Memorial Day to the more neutral “State Holiday” in 2015. Arkansas ended the practice of commemorating Lee alongside King in 2017, leaving Alabama and Mississippi as the only states still recognizing this dual holiday.
Currently, Alabama and Mississippi have three Confederate-related state holidays. Both states observe Confederate Memorial Day in April and celebrate the birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. South Carolina marks Confederate Memorial Day in May.
No comments:
Post a Comment