Confederate Heritage Month? Mississippi’s Governor Proclamation
Mississippi governor Phil Bryant has proclaimed the month of April as “Confederate Heritage Month.” Allegedly, it’s a month to acknowledge the state’s successes and mistakes. However, it has received positive and negative feedback from the public.
On Wednesday, February 24, Mississippi governor Phil Bryant made an announcement in honor of his latest proclamation. Confederate Heritage Month is the news of the day, according to Clarion-Ledger.
As proposed and decreed, April will serve as the month of recognition. The source mentions that Confederate Heritage Month has been an idea of former Mississippi governors as well. In regards to Bryant’s heritage decision, his chief of communications — Clay Chandler — stated as follows.
“Like his predecessors — both Republican and Democrat — who issued similar proclamations, Gov. Bryant believes Mississippi’s history deserves study and reflection, no matter how unpleasant or complicated parts of it may be. Like the proclamation says, gaining insight from our mistakes and successes will help us move forward.”
From the official proclamation document via the Office of the Governor, seen at the news source’s site, April 25 will also be recognized as Confederate Memorial Day. The document states that it’s essential for all Americans to “reflect on our nation’s past.” It also alludes that yesterday and today offer several lessons. And from those experiences, we all should learn what’s being taught.
"NOW, THEREFORE, I, Phil Bryant, .. hereby proclaim the month of April 2016 as 'CONFEDERATE HERITAGE MONTH' in ..MS" pic.twitter.com/1ZBmTClv1p
— MSU NAACP (@MsState_NAACP) February 25, 2016
From a previous Confederate proclamation in 2012, it appears that Phil Bryant made the same decree in the prior document as well. However, in neither proclamation did Bryant mention the dark past of slavery. So, was he also including that issue within the parameters of Confederate Heritage Month recognition?
Mississippi isn’t the only state to acknowledge the topic of “confederate heritage.” Several southern states have participated in previous years. For instance, according to Jackson Free Press, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell made a similar proclamation. However, like Mississippi’s Bryant, McDonnell didn’t include slavery in the memorial either, and it didn’t fare well with the public. The source reports that Virginia’s governor stated as follows.
“The proclamation issued by this Office designating April as Confederate History Month contained a major omission. The failure to include any reference to slavery was a mistake, and for that I apologize to any fellow Virginian who has been offended or disappointed. The abomination of slavery divided our nation, deprived people of their God-given inalienable rights, and led to the Civil War. Slavery was an evil, vicious and inhumane practice which degraded human beings to property, and it has left a stain on the soul of this state and nation.”
Mississippi Governor Declares April 'Confederate Heritage Month,' No Slavery Mention https://t.co/MkufFmXe83 pic.twitter.com/mTQ9JMTaxz
— DC Cajun (@DCCajun) February 25, 2016
So, by observing McDonnell’s experience in “forgetfulness,” Bryant potentially faces a similar outcry. Years ago, when Haley Barbour was Mississippi’s governor, he supposedly “defended” McDonnell by saying the Confederate Heritage Month omission on slavery was “just a nit.” Barbour maintained the stance that the public was “trying to make a big deal out of something that doesn’t matter for diddly,” as reported by Huffington Post.
Nevertheless, Democratic representative Ed Blackmon — who’s part of Mississippi’s Legislative Black Caucus — stated that he doesn’t have a problem with confederate descendants honoring their ancestors, as reports ABC News. However — concerning Confederate Heritage Month — he states as follows.
“But, at the same time, I would hope the governor would consider that people have problems with the Confederate flag…That’s a part of history you cannot deny.”
And this is true, yes? No matter how dark and shameful, slavery and discrimination is still a part of American and Mississippi history. What’s your stance on the Confederate Heritage Month memorial? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images News]
