What is Confederate Memorial Day? Does MS still observe the controversial holiday?
Mississippi is one of six U.S. states that observe Confederate Memorial Day, a controversial holiday honoring fallen Confederate soldiers.
Proponents of the holiday — including Gov. Tate Reeves who has a history of declaring April Confederate Heritage Month — say it preserves regional heritage, while critics say it glorifies white supremacists ideologies.
“We should not honor those who fought to continue slavery and tear apart our democracy,” Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said in an April 2025 statement.
This year, Confederate Memorial Day falls on Monday, April 27 in Mississippi. Here’s what to know about the state holiday.
What is Confederate Memorial Day?
Confederate Memorial Day, which is commemorated in Mississippi on the last Monday in April, honors Confederate soldiers who died during the American Civil War.
There have been multiple legislative efforts to remove or change the holiday that have failed.
The latest attempt to remove the holiday was a January bill sponsored by Sen. Derrick Simmons, D-Miss. and Sen. David Blout, D-Miss. The bill called for the removal of Confederate Memorial Day and for June 19 to be recognized by the state as an official celebration of Juneteenth Freedom Day, but it died in committee.
Will banks, businesses, schools close on Confederate Memorial Day?
The day is a state holiday, so state offices and some businesses will close. However, federal offices and many schools will remain open.
What states celebrate Confederate Memorial Day?
Confederate Memorial Day is celebrated on various dates depending on the state. These are the states that celebrate the holiday, according to timeanddate.com:
- Texas, Jan. 19
- Florida, April 26 (observed April 27)
- Mississippi, April 27
- Alabama, April 27
- North Carolina, May 10
- South Carolina, May 10 (observed May 11)
What other Confederate holidays does MS celebrate?
Mississippi officially recognizes the following Confederate holidays:
- King-Lee Day, observed the third Monday in January
- Confederate Memorial Day, observed the last Monday of April
- Jefferson Davis’s birthday, observed the last Monday of May along with National Memorial Day
