Gov. Reeves Declares Confederate Heritage Month

#politics

For the fourth year in a row, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has signed a proclamation declaring April as Confederate Heritage Month in Mississippi, keeping alive a 30-year-old tradition that former Republican Gov. Kirk Fordice first began. Black people make up 38% of Mississippi’s population, which is the highest for any state.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has declared April as Confederate Heritage Month. This practice follows that of several of his Democratic and Republican predecessors, but it has drawn criticism from the state’s only African American congressman, Democratic U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson1.

The proclamation does not mention slavery as the central issue in the Civil War; instead, it emphasizes reflecting on our nation’s past and learning from both mistakes and successes.

Mississippi is the last state with a flag prominently featuring the Confederate battle emblem, which has been a point of controversy and debate1. While some view these declarations, flags, and monuments as reminders of history, critics argue that they give undue attention to a racist past.