Three little-known Florida legal holidays paying homage to the Confederacy and its two most famous standard-bearers, Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee, would be eliminated under newly-filed legislation in the Florida House. While similar measures have been filed before, supporters are hopeful the nation's rapidly evolving sociopolitical environment will make this year's legislation ripe for passage.
What are the holidays that would be eliminated?
The birthdays of Davis on June 3rd and Lee on January 19th, along with Confederate Memorial Day on April 26th, would all cease to exist if the legislation, HB 6007, were to become law.
When were the holidays first enacted?
After Reconstruction, when federal occupation of Florida following the Civil War ended, the legislature passed a rash of measures memorializing the Confederacy to which the state once belonged. In 1895, lawmakers enshrined Confederate Memorial Day and Robert E. Lee Day as legal holidays. Jefferson Davis Day was created in 1905.
What has prompted the repeal legislation?
The measure's supporters first contemplated repealing the holidays in the wake of the 2015 shooting in a Charleston, South Carolina, church involving a gunman motivated by white supremacism. While repeal bills have failed to advance in recent years, last summer's nationwide protests culminating in the removal of prominent Confederate monuments are fueling momentum to pass the current legislation.
Is there Senate companion legislation?
No, however supporters are optimistic there will be a Senate companion bill filed by the start of the 2021 legislative session in March.
Is there opposition to the bill?
So far, no. However, some Republicans have opposed other legislation to remove state-sanctioned Confederate monuments and symbols, and President Trump made resisting 'cancel culture' a centerpiece of his re-election campaign. While he lost his bid for a second term, the movement he led is expected to endure and could fuel opposition to the legislation to repeal the Confederate holidays.