Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a proclamation declaring April as Confederate Heritage Month.
“As we honor all who lost their lives in this war, it is important for all Americans to reflect upon our nation’s past, to gain insight from our mistakes and successes, and to come to a full understanding that the lessons learned yesterday and today will carry us through tomorrow if we carefully and earnestly strive to understand and appreciate our heritage and our opportunities which lie before us,” the proclamation reads.
The document also declares April 26 as Confederate Memorial Day.
The proclamation comes at a time when statues and monuments honoring Confederate leaders across the country have been removed, while those that still stand often continue to generate controversy.
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Mississippi has been at the center of that controversy before, with the state voting to replace the old state flag that included the Confederate battle emblem with a new one that features a magnolia and “In God We Trust.”
Bailey Martin, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Reeves was simply following in the footsteps of those who have held the office before him by issuing the proclamation.
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“For the last 30 years, five Mississippi governors — Republicans and Democrats alike — have signed a proclamation recognizing the statutory state holiday and identifying April as Confederate Heritage Month,” Martin said. “Gov. Reeves also signed the proclamation because he believes we can all learn from our history.”
