CONFEDERATE HOLIDAYS - There’s been a move to remove Confederate monuments in Louisiana cities over the past few years, but what about the official Confederate Holidays? Official state holidays in Louisiana include Robert E.Lee Day and Confederate Memorial Day. Currently, these holidays are on Louisiana’s list of legal holidays. But a House panel wants to officially have them from being recognized as such and removed from the official state holiday list.
Democratic New Orleans Rep. Matthew Willard, who is Black has sponsored a bill to have these Confederate holidays removed.
Speaking before the House Judiciary Committee yesterday, Williard said he was shocked when he learned Confederate holidays are still on the books.
“Try to put yourself in my shoes as a young Black man in this state who just found out that those two holidays existed and how that would affect you," Willard said.
While it’s been years since either holiday has been officially observed, they have been in the Louisiana lawbooks since 1925. House Bill 248 was discussed in the House Judiciary Committee yesterday and in less than 5 minutes it was advanced without opposition, it now goes to the full House for debate.
