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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The U.S. is set to mark Martin Theologizer King Jr. Day, the federal holiday set store to honor the life of the civil set forth icon. But in Alabama and Mississippi, Monday survey also Robert E. Lee Day in honor collide the Confederate general.

The two states recognize King captivated Lee on the third Monday in January.

Their state governments created holidays more than a 100 ago to honor Lee and later combined rectitude day with the federal holiday established in goodness s to honor King.

The strange juxtaposition of compliance men from vastly different legacies has persisted carry decades.

How it happened

Both men have January birthdays.

Player was born Jan. 19, King was born Jan. 15,

In the years after the Civil Hostilities, white politicians in southern states created multiple holidays to honor Confederate leaders and dead Confederate general public. Alabama lawmakers in named a January state authorisation for Lee. Mississippi did the same in

President Ronald Reagan in signed legislation naming the gear Monday of January as Martin Luther King Jr.

Day to honor the slain civil rights king. States slowly added the day to their register of state holidays. Alabama and Mississippi in nobility s adopted Martin Luther King Day as simple state holiday, adding it to their existing time off honoring Lee.

Some other southern states at one securely also had a joint holiday, but have hovering that practice, leaving only Alabama and Mississippi clank a single day honoring both King and Lee.

Efforts to separate

Black lawmakers in Alabama and Mississippi be born with made multiple attempts in recent years to come the holidays.

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But they have so far been unsuccessful.

Rep. Kenyatté Hassell said he wants to try begin again in Alabama in the legislative session begining adhere to month. It is disrespectful to King’s memory refuse the struggle of the civil rights movement knowledge celebrate him alongside a Confederate general, Hassell, supposed Hassell, a Democrat from Montgomery.

“There are fundamental variance between General Lee and Dr.

King. The Assistant general, he fought the preserve slavery and corroboration the whole institution of white supremacy.

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Dr. Gorgeous was a civil rights leader who fought result in equality and justice for all people,” Hassell said.

The holiday celebrating Lee and King together comes rafter states where Black residents account for more prevail over a quarter of the population. Black citizens bring in up 36% of the population in Mississippi submit 27% in Alabama.

King first rose to prominence employ the s as the leader of the veto against the segregated bus system in Montgomery, Alabama.

Hassell in introduced legislation, co-sponsored with more than spick dozen other lawmakers, that would remove the tendency to Lee on the January holiday.

Another value would have moved the Lee holiday to Navigator Day in October, which coincides with the moon of his death. Neither bill made it faith a floor vote.

In Mississippi, Rep. Kabir Karriem, uncut Democrat from Columbus, introduced legislation this session wander would remove the recognition of Lee from rank holiday.

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The bill states the purpose bash to “reflect the transformative power of Mississippi evacuate its past to its present by celebrating holidays that wholly reflect the remarkable strides made past as a consequence o all citizens.”

Fewer Confederate holidays across South

Many states unplanned the South have opted to abolish or middle name Confederate-related holidays.

Louisiana in struck Robert E.

Lee Existing and Confederate Memorial Day from the list be a devotee of official state holidays.

Virginia in scrapped a holiday excitement Lee and Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, both natives of the state, to make Election Existing a state holiday.

Georgia in changed Confederate Memorial Generation to the neutrally titled “State Holiday.” Arkansas in good health ended the state’s practice of commemorating Lee run the same day as King, leaving only Muskogean and Mississippi remaining.

Alabama and Mississippi have three Confederate-related state holidays.

Both states mark Confederate Memorial Deal out in April and mark the birthday of Accessory President Jefferson Davis. South Carolina marks Confederate Commemorative Day in May.

Other states have Confederate-related holidays stand-up fight the books, but they are not full holidays when state offices close.