Lee–Jackson Day was a state holiday in the

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

Commonwealth of Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, commemorating Confederate commanders,

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...

and

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general and military officer who served during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the eastern the ...

. Its observation was eliminated in 2020, replaced by Election Day as a state holiday.

Origin and name changes

The holiday was first created in 1889 during the administration of Gov. Fitzhugh Lee, a former Confederate cavalry officer and nephew of Gen. Lee. The original holiday was on Lee's birthday (January 19) until 1904, which brought the addition of Jackson's name and birthday (January 21). The original intent of Lee-Jackson day was to celebrate Confederate Generals Lee and Jackson, who had fought for their state of Virginia during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. In 1983, the holiday was merged with the then-new federal holiday Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, as Lee–Jackson–King Day in Virginia; the merger was reversed in 2000 by Governor Jim Gilmore.

Observation

Lee–Jackson Day was observed on the Friday immediately preceding Martin Luther King Jr. Day (the third Monday in January). Typical events included a wreath-laying ceremony with military honors, a Civil War themed parade, symposia, and a gala ball. State offices were closed for both holidays. During the 2010s, various Virginia municipalities chose not to observe Lee–Jackson Day, including

Charlottesville Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in Virginia, United States. It is the seat of government of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Quee ...

, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Hampton, Newport News, Richmond,

Winchester Winchester (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs N ...

, and the Town of Blacksburg.

Elimination

In early 2020 the newly elected Democratic

Virginia General Assembly The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, and the first elected legislative assembly in the New World. It was established on July 30, ...

proposed ending the observance and designating Election Day as a replacement holiday. The

Senate of Virginia The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the lieutenant governor of Vir ...

voted in January to eliminate Lee–Jackson Day as a state holiday; the legislation was passed a month later by the House of Delegates. Governor

Ralph Northam Ralph Shearer Northam (born September 13, 1959) is an American physician and former politician who served as the 73rd governor of Virginia from 2018 to 2022. A pediatric Neurology, neurologist by occupation, he was an officer in the Medical Co ...

approved the bill in March, to take effect in July.Virginia General Assembly SB 601 Legal holidays; Election Day
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee-Jackson Day 1889 establishments in Virginia Annual events in the United States Friday observances Holidays and observances by scheduling (nth weekday of the month) Holidays related to the American Civil War Monuments and memorials to Robert E. Lee January observances Recurring events established in 1889 Stonewall Jackson Virginia culture Birthdays 2020 disestablishments in Virginia

Origin and name changes

Observation

Elimination

See also

References