In 1973, the Texas legislature combined the previously official state holidays of Robert E. Lee’s and Jefferson Davis’s birthdays into a single "Confederate Heroes Day" to honor all who had served the Southern Cause. In some years, this date may coincide with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. State offices are partially staffed in recognition of this day.
Confederate Heroes’ Day commemorates those who died fighting for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. An official state holiday in Texas, Confederate Heroes’ Day has fallen annually on January 19—the birthday of Robert E. Lee—since its approval on January 30, 1931.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy sponsor the annual celebration of the holiday, which includes parades, reenactments in honor of past Confederate heroes, and other events.