The state of Alabama released an official statement that they celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day alongside Confederate leader Robert E. Lee’s birthday on January 16th. Moreover, the statement comes as millions honor MLK’s legacy today, which fights against racial injustice. As such, many online reacted with criticism, outrage, and unfortunately, no surprises.
“Alabama. Still racist to the core,” wrote one Twitter user. Furthermore, Robert E. Lee was one of, if not the lead general for the Confederacy during the U.S.’s Civil War. As such, to match the celebration of his birthday with that of an icon in the civil rights movement is insensitive to many.
While many commenters on social media called out the state of Alabama’s racist tendencies, some were defensive. “Went to Alabama for the first time in 2022. To say the entire state is racist is just wrong,” someone tweeted. “Sure, they have a lot of history to deal with, but to paint everyone with that brush is unfair and counter productive.”
However, said history is still in contention to this day. As the South reckons with its Confederate past, everyone from regular citizens to state governments took various statues commemorating the Virginia general down. While many progressive steps helped the conversation around these topics gear towards justice, some jurisdictions are still behind.
Meanwhile, this revelation comes in the midst of other MLK Day-related criticisms. Moreover, Coretta Scott King’s cousin recently criticized Boston’s MLK statue.
“For my family, it’s rather insulting,” Seneca Scott wrote in an essay. “[The] sculpture is an especially egregious example of the woke machine’s callousness and vanity.
“Ten million dollars were wasted to create a masturbatory metal homage to my legendary family members — one of the all-time greatest American families,” he added. “How could anyone fail to see that this … brings very few, if any, tangible benefits to struggling black families?”
What do you think of MLK Day celebrated alongside Robert E. Lee’s birthday in Alabama? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, come back to HNHH for more big news stories about the nation’s history.
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