Area residents gather for annual Confederate Memorial Day
Event honors those wounded, killed during Civil War
By Charlotte Graham
Laurel Leader-CallLAUREL — Jones County residents Ed Parrish and Harold Barnes placed a wreath and Confederate flags at the base of the Confederate Monument in front of the Jones County Courthouse in downtown Laurel Monday.
It was their way of recognizing Confederate Memorial Day and honoring those who lost their lives or were wounded during the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865.
“Today is Confederate Memorial Day,” said Ed Parrish. “That’s why we are doing this.”
On March 31, 2003, then Secretary of State Eric Clark signed a proclamation designating the last Monday of April as Confederate Memorial Day. The first state observance of the holiday was April 28, 2003.
At 5:30 p.m. Monday, area residents gathered at the courthouse for a special observance.
In addition to Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia observe Confederate Memorial Day on the last Monday of April. South Carolina and North Carolina observe the holiday on May 10. Also, Texas, which calls it’s celebration Confederate Heroes Day, observes the holiday on January 19.
On The Web: http://leadercall.com/local/x1687726098/Area-residents-gather-for-annual-Confederate-Memorial-Day