The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on Mississippi leaders and lawmakers to take action to drop a holiday that honors confederate racist and traitor Jefferson Davis, who was president of the Confederate States of America.
That holiday marking the birthday of the Confederate president is combined with the Memorial Day weekend.
SEE: MS celebrates Jefferson Davis’ birthday, Memorial Day as state holiday. What to know
Washington, D.C., based CAIR has previously called on Alabama to drop a similar holiday honoring Davis.
“We call on Mississippi’s elected officials and policymakers to take action to drop this holiday honoring a traitor who divided our nation in order to preserve slavery, racism and white supremacy,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
Earlier this month, CAIR repeated its condemnation South Carolina’s celebration of “Confederate Memorial Day” as a state holiday. That holiday is on May 10, but marked by government offices on May 9 this year.
Last month, CAIR reiterated its condemnation of Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves’ proclamation naming April as Confederate Heritage Month and April 28 as Confederate Memorial Day.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR condemned similar proclamations in past years and in other states.
Hooper said CAIR has repeatedly called for the removal of Confederate names, holidays, flags, statues, and symbols nationwide.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com