Lee-Jackson Day - Holiday in Virginia, Jan 15, 2010
Background
Lee-Jackson Day honors Confederate leaders Robert Edward Lee (1807-1870) and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson (1824-1863). General Lee led the military and naval forces during the Civil War until he surrendered to General Ulysses Grant in 1865, which marked the end of the war. Thomas Jackson's greatest victory was when he led his troops around the Union right flank at Chancellorsville to route the 11th Corps. However, he was wounded and died eight days later on May 10, 1863.
Virginia began observing Lee's birthday on January 19 in 1889. Jackson's remembrance was added to the holiday in 1904. Martin Luther King Day became a federal holiday on January 15 in 1983, which was close to Lee-Jackson Day. The days were combined in Virginia (known then as Lee-Jackson-King Day) until 2000 when they became separate holidays. It was arranged so that Lee-Jackson Day was to be held on the Friday before Martin Luther King Day.
From Wikipedia:
Lee-Jackson Day is a holiday celebrated in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA, for the birthdays of Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. The original holiday, created in 1889, celebrated Lee's birthday. Jackson's name was added to the holiday in 1904. Lee-Jackson Day is currently observed on the Friday before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and results in the closing of state offices[1] such as the DMV. From 1983 to 2000 it was celebrated as Lee-Jackson-King Day.
