Jefferson Davis’ Birthday in Alabama

Jefferson Davis’ birthday is observed in a number of U.S. states, often near the date of this former Confederate President’s birthday of June 3rd. In Alabama, this holiday is observed on the first Monday in June. This holiday is one of three in Alabama that celebrate former Confederate leaders—the other two being Robert E. Lee’s Birthday in January and Confederate Memorial Day in April.

This holiday is often observed with several closures that include Alabama state offices, most Alabama courts, and some car tag offices in the state being closed. Schools and many businesses also close on this day. However, other organizations, such as banks, city offices, and county offices, are open. On this day, the U.S. Postal Service runs under normal operations in Alabama as well.

The History of Jefferson Davis’ Birthday in Alabama

Jefferson Davis was born on June 3rd, 1808, in Kentucky and was named after former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. During the Civil War, he was elected and accused of treason—although he was never tried nor executed for his offense.

Instead, he served a two-year sentence. Confederate holidays were originally banned in the U.S., but during the turn of the 20th century, organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan lobbied the government to make Jefferson Davis’ birthday an official holiday. This would finally happen in 1905.

Observing Jefferson Davis’ Birthday in Alabama

As we stated in our introductory paragraph, Jefferson Davis’ Birthday is an official holiday in Alabama, and as a result, many public and private organizations are closed on this day. It’s also the last U.S. state to have an official legal holiday set aside for this Confederate President.

In Texas, this holiday is rolled into Confederate Heroes Day, and in Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee, this holiday is observed but state employees aren’t given the day off for it. In Alabama, employees working for state offices are given the day off. This holiday is also often celebrated with the raising of the Confederate Flag, and some people will attend barbecues or other functions.

Of course, this holiday is also somewhat of a controversial one as well. It’s considered by some people and organizations, such as the NAACP, to be an offensive holiday that is an attempt by some to uphold slavery in the U.S.

Where is it celebrated?
United States (State holiday) - Alabama
When is it?
This year (2024)
June 3 Monday
Next year (2025)
June 2 Monday
Last year (2023)
June 5 Monday