The U.S. is set to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the federal holiday set aside to honor the life of the civil rights icon. But in two states, Monday is also Robert E.

Summary

Alabama and Mississippi commemorate Robert E. Lee Day alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the same day, reflecting a long-standing juxtaposition of contrasting legacies.

Both states combined these holidays in the 1980s when King’s federal holiday was established. Black lawmakers have since unsuccessfully attempted to separate them.

Critics argue it disrespects King’s civil rights leader legacy to pair his honor with Lee, a Confederate general who fought to preserve slavery and uphold white supremacy.

Other southern states have abolished similar practices, leaving only Alabama and Mississippi with shared celebrations for King and Lee.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    19·
    7 hours ago

    We do not need to be fair to Confederates and Nazis. The efforts they undertook would not have included the end of slavery or the Holocaust.

    • [email protected]@lemmy.federate.cc
      2·
      1 hour ago

      +1. Even if we ignore the holocaust and suppose Rommel and his ilk were unaware - a very big stretch - they nonetheless willingly participated/led a deadly total war of aggression against civilians. As for Lee, the abhorrence of slavery was self-evident even at the time, as evidenced by the abolitionist movements of the day. There’s nothing unfair about calling people like this what they are - evil.