Confederate Heroes Day is a state holiday in Texas, United States of America, that is officially observed on January 19th. This holiday was originally celebrated in honor of Robert E. Lee - an American Confederate general best known as a commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. An additional motive behind the holiday was to ensure that future generations would remember and honor the values that the Southern Confederates fought for during the Civil War.
While Confederate Heroes Day is only an official holiday in the state of Texas, it is controversial due to the dark history associated with it. Texas started recognizing this holiday in 1973, and it coincidentally falls on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is a federal holiday. The juxtaposition of these two holidays - one celebrating a figure from the Civil Rights Movement and the other from the Confederacy, has stirred up considerable debate and criticism.
Despite the criticism and debate surrounding Confederate Heroes Day, many Texas residents continue to observe the holiday. Observance typically involves organized parades, speeches related to the history of the holiday and the Civil War, as well as reenactments of key Civil War battles. However, it should be noted that many towns and cities in Texas do not officially recognize Confederate Heroes Day and choose to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day exclusively instead.