What is the traditional name for Alabama’s state observance honoring Confederate dead, held in April?

Alabama’s traditional April observance honoring Confederate dead is called Confederate Memorial Day.

Confederate Memorial Day developed in the former Confederate states after the American Civil War. Different states selected different dates, often connected with local wartime events or the burial of Confederate soldiers. Alabama traditionally observes it on the fourth Monday in April.

The observance is distinct from the federal Memorial Day, which honors U.S. service members who died in military service and is observed nationwide on the last Monday in May. Confederate Memorial Day reflects a regional postwar tradition and remains controversial because it is tied to the Confederacy and the history of slavery and the Civil War.

State practices have changed over time. Some states ended official recognition, renamed the observance, or combined it with other commemorations. Alabama’s traditional name and April timing are therefore specific historical details, not alternate names for the national Memorial Day holiday.