Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed legislation that makes April Confederate Heritage Month, commemorating the history of the racist institution of the Confederate States of America.
For about two weeks, the state has been steadfast in killing bills that would remove the Confederate flag from state buildings and replace it with something new.
According to the Jackson Free Press, “the proclamation starts out by explaining that April is the appropriate month to honor Confederate heritage because it ‘is the month in which the Confederate States began and ended a four-year struggle.’ It adds that the state celebrates Confederate Memorial Day on April 25 to ‘recognize those who served in the Confederacy.’ ”
The state lags behind in many areas when it comes to the history of the Civil War and the institution of slavery. Mississippi becomes one of three states that will dedicate an entire month to the failed regime. The state joins Arkansas and Alabama, which also celebrate Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s birthday the same day as the federal Martin Luther King Jr. birthday in January.
While the descendants of the Confederacy want to remember and celebrate, Gen. Lee himself has said that all symbols of the rebellion, including flags, should be put “in your attics.”
The announcement goes on to say that it is “important for all Americans to reflect upon our nation’s past” and “to gain insight from our mistakes and successes … strive to understand and appreciate our heritage and our opportunities which lie before us.”
The proclamation, which says that history should be valued and remembered, fails to mention the horrific institution of slavery the Confederacy was vehemently trying to keep around.
