Tenn. Set To Honor Controversial Confederate General and 1st grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan on Mon

Tenn. Set To Honor Controversial Confederate General Monday

MEMPHIS, TN (localmemphis.com)--Controversy continues around efforts to relocate the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest and the remains of he and his wife from a Memphis park.
Despite this, Tennessee will honor the Confederate general Monday.

Tennessee has had this special observance for years.

Nathan Bedford Forrest Day is part of a statute that requires the governor to proclaim six special observances each year.

But given recent events people are calling it into question.

On June 2nd, Governor Bill Haslam signed a proclamation honoring Nathan Bedford Forrest on July 13th.

Since it is a statute, it would take a legislative act to change it.

State senator Lee Harris says this adds to a list of divisive symbols, and he is calling on the governor to act so Tennessee can move forward.

"So having a special holiday or observance signed by the governor for Monday is not the way to do that. Having a Confederate license plate that the governor could discontinue instantaneously is not the way to do it," said Harris.

Lee Millar with the Sons of Confederate Veterans argues the general is one of the state's most famous citizens and should have a day of remembrance.

He says, "To opponents, I would say that they need more education because Forrest did a lot of good. No one is perfect except Jesus, so people cannot condemn any man on a single item - all must be looked at. History should be preserved and added to, not erased."

That statute is a Tennessee code that calls on governors to proclaim special observances.

Those include Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, Memorial or Confederate Decoration Day, and Veterans Day.

Gov. Haslam was asked about removing the bust two weeks before he signed the proclamation reinstating Nathan Bedford Forrest Day. He said, “Forrest would not be my choice of one of the Tennesseans that we honor.”

Still, he signed the proclamation, and according to the governor’s press secretary, Dave Smith, Haslam had to sign it “as per the statute.”