BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -
Just three days before the federal observation of one of the most notable civil rights leaders, the City of Biloxi has found itself in the middle of a social media war.
Shortly before 7 p.m., the city posted on its Facebook page that they would be closed on the third Monday of the month. The problem - they didn't reference the day as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Instead, the city told nearly 30,000 people on Facebook that non-emergency municipal offices would be closed in observance of "Great Americans Day".
Following almost 100 shares on Facebook, and more than 1,600 replies on Twitter, social media is on fire.
Joseph Wallace tweeted, "I keep trying to believe the south has progressed, guess not as much as some advertise."
On Facebook, Takasia M. said in part, "....How incredibly disrespectful. We will not take away someone who did so much for this country to have it whitewashed by the same state who was against him to begin with."
Representatives for the City of Biloxi declined to comment, only saying the name change to honor King and Confederate Army Gen. Robert E. Lee was part of state legislature.
Miss. Code Ann. § 3-3-7 states that the third Monday of the month is to be observed for the birthdays of both men. The code does not state the renaming.
However, archived notes from the City of Biloxi's website show that the name change was introduced to City Council on Dec. 23, 1985; and approved on Dec. 31, 1985.
---it was approved by the city council 32 years ago and nobody's changed it---
Just three days before the federal observation of one of the most notable civil rights leaders, the City of Biloxi has found itself in the middle of a social media war.
Shortly before 7 p.m., the city posted on its Facebook page that they would be closed on the third Monday of the month. The problem - they didn't reference the day as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Instead, the city told nearly 30,000 people on Facebook that non-emergency municipal offices would be closed in observance of "Great Americans Day".
Following almost 100 shares on Facebook, and more than 1,600 replies on Twitter, social media is on fire.
Joseph Wallace tweeted, "I keep trying to believe the south has progressed, guess not as much as some advertise."
On Facebook, Takasia M. said in part, "....How incredibly disrespectful. We will not take away someone who did so much for this country to have it whitewashed by the same state who was against him to begin with."
Representatives for the City of Biloxi declined to comment, only saying the name change to honor King and Confederate Army Gen. Robert E. Lee was part of state legislature.
Miss. Code Ann. § 3-3-7 states that the third Monday of the month is to be observed for the birthdays of both men. The code does not state the renaming.
However, archived notes from the City of Biloxi's website show that the name change was introduced to City Council on Dec. 23, 1985; and approved on Dec. 31, 1985.
---it was approved by the city council 32 years ago and nobody's changed it---
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