MONTGOMERY, Ala. — As the U.S. prepares to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday dedicated to celebrating the legacy of the civil rights leader, Alabama and Mississippi will also observe Robert E. Lee Day, a day honoring the Confederate general. This unusual combination occurs on the third Monday in January, a result of historical decisions made over a century ago. Alabama established its holiday for Lee in 1901, while Mississippi followed suit in 1910. When Martin Luther King Jr. Day was federally recognized in the 1980s, these states chose to merge it with their existing holiday for Lee.
This dual observance reflects the apposite legacies of two significant figures, both born in January—Lee on the 19th in 1807 and King on the 15th in 1929. Since the end of the Civil War, there has been a pattern among Southern politicians to designate days of remembrance for Confederate leaders and soldiers. The introduction of Martin Luther King Jr. Day marked a shift, as the holiday began to be gradually included in state holiday calendars throughout the South. However, Alabama and Mississippi continue to uniquely fuse the two holidays into a single celebration, a practice that other Southern states have moved away from.
In recent years, there have been efforts spearheaded by Black lawmakers in Alabama and Mississippi to disassociate the two observances. Despite these efforts, no significant changes have been made thus far. Representative Kenyatté Hassell has indicated his intention to revisit this issue in Alabama’s upcoming legislative session, asserting that it is disrespectful to honor King alongside a figure who defended the institution of slavery. Hassell stated, “There are fundamental differences between General Lee and Dr. King. The Confederate general fought to preserve slavery and uphold white supremacy, whereas Dr. King fought for equality and justice for all.”
The unique juxtaposition of honoring these two historical figures occurs in states with a significant Black population, where African Americans comprise approximately 36% of Mississippi’s and 27% of Alabama’s demographics. King gained recognition in the 1950s for leading the boycott against Montgomery’s segregated bus system, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. In 2023, Hassell introduced a bill seeking to remove Lee’s name from the holiday, with another proposed bill aiming to move Lee’s celebration to Columbus Day in October to align with the anniversary of his death. Neither bill was placed for a vote on the legislative floor.
In Mississippi, Democratic Representative Kabir Karriem has also pushed for legislation to eliminate Lee’s recognition from the holiday, arguing that the objective should be to celebrate all citizens’ progress rather than to honor a figure tied to a legacy of oppression.
As momentum builds to reevaluate Confederate memorialization, many Southern states have begun initiatives to eliminate or rename holidays associated with the Confederacy. In 2022, Louisiana removed both Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from its official holidays. Virginia followed suit in 2020, deciding to replace observances honoring Lee and Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson with a state holiday for Election Day. Georgia rebranded Confederate Memorial Day to a more neutral “State Holiday” in 2015, while Arkansas abolished the practice of commemorating Lee alongside King in 2017. Consequently, only Alabama and Mississippi still observe this dual holiday, each maintaining three Confederate-related observances, including Confederate Memorial Day and Confederate President Jefferson Davis’s birthday. South Carolina also recognizes Confederate Memorial Day in May. Although other states still have Confederate holidays, many do not involve closures of state offices, further indicating a shift in how these symbols are honored.
