MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Today, June 2, Alabama marks Jefferson Davis’ Birthday, a state holiday that shuts down government offices and schools to honor the president of the Confederacy. The observance, falling on the first Monday in June, is a painful reminder for many residents that Alabama still officially celebrates a man who led a failed rebellion to preserve slavery.
Jefferson Davis was born on June 3, 1808, but Alabama’s holiday is fixed on the first Monday in June, this year landing just a day before his actual birthday. The holiday’s origins trace back to the Jim Crow era, when Southern states codified Confederate commemorations to reinforce white supremacy and rewrite the history of the Civil War. For decades, Alabama has maintained this tradition, even as most other states have abandoned or repurposed such holidays.
Mississippi now combines its observance with Memorial Day, while Florida lists it as a legal holiday but does not close state offices. In Alabama, however, the holiday remains a full state observance, drawing sharp criticism from those who see it as an insult to Black residents and a stain on the state’s reputation.
As Alabama shuts its doors to celebrate Jefferson Davis today, the question remains: How much longer will the state cling to a holiday that glorifies the Confederacy and offends so many? With calls growing to end this outdated practice, many argue it is past time for Alabama to leave the Confederacy behind.