By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
State offices across Alabama will close Monday, June 1, as the state observes Jefferson Davis’ Birthday, making Alabama the only remaining state in the nation that continues to provide a paid state holiday honoring the president of the Confederate States of America (CSA), who served in that role for the four years that the CSA existed.
The annual observance, held on the first Monday in June, commemorates the June 3, 1808, birth of Jefferson Davis, who served as president of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Under Alabama law, Jefferson Davis’ Birthday remains one of the state’s fifteen official paid holidays and one of three related to the Confederacy, all of which result in the closure of state government offices and services.
Residents planning to conduct business with state agencies on Monday should be aware that many state offices, including numerous government service locations, will be closed for the holiday. Offices are expected to reopen during normal business hours on Tuesday, June 2. Agencies that will be closed include all state driver license offices and Departments of Motor Vehicles operated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, State Courts, and other state-operated offices. A few counties choose to observe the state holiday at the local level; However, most counties in the Wiregrass area, including Dale, Coffee, Houston, and Geneva Counties, are expected to remain open. Banks and businesses will not be affected by the state holiday. If you plan to conduct business with any local municipal or county offices, you should contact them before traveling to ensure they are open.
While several Southern states once observed holidays or commemorations related to Confederate history, Alabama now stands alone in granting state employees a paid holiday specifically honoring Davis. State workers receive the day off with pay, and many state government operations are suspended for the observance.
The holiday has periodically drawn attention from supporters who view it as part of Alabama’s historical heritage and from critics who argue that state recognition of Confederate leaders is inappropriate. Critics of this particular state holiday point to the fact that Davis was born in Mississippi, served as a Senator from Mississippi, and only lived in Alabama for about three months until the Confederacy’s capital was moved to Richmond, Virginia. Despite those debates, Jefferson Davis ‘ Birthday remains on Alabama’s official holiday calendar.
In recent years, state lawmakers have considered changes to Alabama’s holiday schedule. In 2025, the Alabama Legislature approved legislation making Juneteenth a permanent state holiday to fall in line with the federal holiday President Biden approved in June 2021 adding another official observance to the state’s calendar while leaving existing Confederate-related holidays unchanged.
Because holiday schedules can vary, residents are encouraged to check with local county and municipal offices before making plans. While many local governments follow the state’s holiday calendar, many other offices may operate on modified schedules.
State offices are scheduled to resume normal operations on Tuesday.
