MONTGOMERY, Ala. — As the nation prepares to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday dedicated to the legacy of the notable civil rights leader, Alabama and Mississippi are set to simultaneously honor Robert E. Lee Day, in recognition of the Confederate general.
In these two states, both King and Lee are commemorated on the third Monday of January, an unusual pairing that has existed for many years. The state governments of Alabama and Mississippi established their holidays for Lee over a century ago, later combining it with the federal observance introduced in the 1980s to celebrate King.
The choice to honor both figures, who represent vastly different historical narratives, continues to raise eyebrows.
The overlap in observances stems from the shared January birthdays of Lee and King. Lee was born on January 19, 1807, while King was born on January 15, 1929.
Following the Civil War, southern political leaders instituted several holidays to celebrate Confederate figures and soldiers. In 1901, Alabama designated a holiday for Lee, while Mississippi followed suit in 1910. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation declaring the third Monday of January as Martin Luther King Jr. Day in honor of the civil rights leader assassinated in 1968. Throughout the 1980s, the two states incorporated King’s day into their existing commemorations for Lee.
Although other southern states once shared similar dual holidays, they have since abandoned this practice, leaving only Alabama and Mississippi with a combined observance of both King and Lee.
There have been numerous efforts by Black legislators in both states to separate these holidays in recent years, but they have yet to succeed. Representative Kenyatté Hassell of Alabama has expressed plans to reintroduce legislation during the upcoming legislative session, arguing that it is disrespectful to honor King alongside someone like Lee, who fought to uphold slavery and white supremacy.
“There are fundamental differences between General Lee and Dr. King,” Hassell stated, emphasizing King’s legacy as a champion of equality and justice. In Alabama, Black individuals comprise 27% of the state’s population, while Mississippi has a higher percentage at 36%.
Hassell previously introduced measures aimed at removing references to Lee from the holiday and attempting to shift Lee’s observance to October in alignment with his death anniversary, but neither proposal reached a floor vote.
In Mississippi, Democratic Representative Kabir Karriem has also sought to eliminate recognition of Lee from the holiday, arguing that the legislation aims to celebrate the progress made by all citizens in the state.
Alongside Alabama and Mississippi, several Southern states have opted to abolish or rename holidays associated with Confederate figures. Louisiana removed Robert E. Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day from its official state holiday list in 2022. Virginia made a similar change in 2020 by dropping a holiday for both Lee and Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson in favor of Election Day.
Georgia updated its Confederate Memorial Day observance in 2015, renaming it to a neutral “State Holiday.” In 2017, Arkansas ended the practice of recognizing Lee on the same day as King. As it stands, Alabama and Mississippi continue to hold three holidays related to Confederate figures, including commemorations for Confederate Memorial Day in April and the birthday of Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States.
While other states still have holidays acknowledging the Confederacy, these are often not designated as full holidays where state offices close.
