Confederate Memorial Day disappears from 2016 Georgia holiday calendars

[struggle4progress]

Greg Bluestein

Confederate Memorial Day has been struck from Georgia’s official 2016 state holiday calendar. So has Robert E. Lee’s birthday.

Most state employees will still get days off for both events, but the controversial names have been replaced with the more neutral term “state holiday” ...

“There will be a state holiday on that day,” he said. “Those so inclined can observe Confederate Memorial Day and remember those who died in that conflict.”

But it was a noticeable departure from the 2015 calendar, which clearly listed April 27 as the Confederate holiday and Nov. 27 as Lee’s birthday. And it comes as Georgia’s embrace of Confederate symbols has come under increased scrutiny ...

http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2015/08/06/confederate-memorial-day-disappears-from-2016-georgia-holiday-calendars/

[struggle4progress]

1. Confederate holidays booted from state calendar

Greg Bluestein and Shannon McCaffrey
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

... Tim Pilgrim, a leader of the Georgia division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said he was concerned about the shift.

“We don’t want Georgia to turn its back on history,” he said. “They can’t erase and remove our history. That’s unacceptable for us.”

State Sen. Vincent Fort, who is drafting a bill that would remove Confederate Memorial Day from the list of sanctioned state holidays, said the governor’s “inartful dodge” won’t change his plans.

“With a wink and nod they are saying ‘we are removing the name but you know it’s a day that we celebrate people who supported treason and slavery,’ ” the Democrat from Atlanta said. “I’m not mollified” ...

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/confederate-holidays-booted-from-state-calendar/nnFFF/