MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) —Alabama state offices are closed today for a holiday marking the birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
The day is one of three Confederate-related state holidays in Alabama. The state jointly observes Robert E. Lee Day with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January. Alabama marks Confederate Memorial Day in April.
There have been various efforts to abolish or change the name of Confederate-related holidays, but none has been successful.
Rep. Chris England, who is also chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party, this year proposed legislation to remove Davis’ birthday as a state holiday and instead call it “State Employee Appreciation Day.” He also proposed abolishing Confederate Memorial Day and instead make Election Day a state holiday.
Though it is not a codified state holiday, Gov. Kay Ivey recently issued a memo to state agencies ordering that Juneteenth be recognized on Monday, June 20 and state employees be given the day off. Juneteenth commemorates the June 19th, 1865 final emancipation of African American slaves in the Deep South.