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FL Senator Aims To Eliminate Confederate Holidays

Nick Evans

Sen. Lauren Book (D-Plantation) wants to roll back Florida’s confederate holiday observances.

Florida recognizes the birthdays of Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis in addition to Confederate Memorial Day.  Book says after the deadly showdown in Charlottesville, Florida needs to reconsider the holidays.

“I think that what having a holiday is or having monuments is, [is] to glorify what something is or was or to honor or pay homage to it,” Books says, “and I don’t think that that is something that is appropriate.”

Book insists her legislation isn’t meant to whitewash or conceal the past.

“Because if we erase history we are damned to repeat it,” Book says.  “But [it’s] important to learn about it and heed it—not to place it on a pedestal and put in our public square.”

Florida is one of seven states recognizing Confederate Memorial Day, many of those states commemorate confederate officials like Lee and Davis as well.  

Book filed her measure Friday.  By Monday she says she was receiving death threats.  

Nick Evans came to Tallahassee to pursue a masters in communications at Florida State University. He graduated in 2014, but not before picking up an internship at WFSU. While he worked on his degree Nick moved from intern, to part-timer, to full-time reporter. Before moving to Tallahassee, Nick lived in and around the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years. He listens to far too many podcasts and is a die-hard 49ers football fan. When Nick’s not at work he likes to cook, play music and read.