Alabama & Mississippi Honor Robert E. Lee on MLK Day: A Racist Tradition Persists
In Alabama and Mississippi, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is jointly observed with Robert E. Lee Day, a legacy from early 20th-century state legislation honoring Confederate leaders. This juxtaposition of figures with opposing legacies persists despite repeated legislative efforts by Black lawmakers in both states to separate the holidays. Recent attempts to either remove Lee’s recognition or reschedule his observance have failed to gain sufficient support. While other Southern states have removed or altered similar Confederate holidays, Alabama and Mississippi remain the only two states that continue this practice.
John Q. Hosedrinker