Conversations with Participants of Lee-Jackson Day

Participants share their opinions on the holiday and its connection to Washington and Lee University.

Lexington used to be known as the “shrine of the South … a place where people came to pay honor and tribute to [Robert E.] Lee and [Stonewall] Jackson,” said Brandon Dorsey, the overall organizer of Lee-Jackson Day. But today, “a lot of people here locally just take our history for granted,” he argued.

In addition to Dorsey, The Spectator spoke with several facilitators and attendees of Lee-Jackson Day. The memorial ceremony and parade were held on Saturday, January 18, in Lexington, Virginia’s Oak Grove Cemetery. The parade later moved through downtown Lexington.

The event was first established in 1889 to honor Confederate Civil War Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. It was observed as a state holiday until its elimination in 2020. Residents of Virginia continue to celebrate it annually, and many people from across the country attend.

For Dorsey, Lee-Jackson Day represents the honoring of ancestors, as most participants are the descendants of Confederate veterans. Dorsey explained that to many attendees, Lee and Jackson “embody collectively all of our families into one.”

Reflecting on past celebrations, Dorsey shared that a ceremony for Lee-Jackson Day was previously held in Lee Chapel, National Historic Landmark, from 2000 to 2012. However, according to Dorsey, the school no longer provides a platform for the event, citing campus policies against military regalia.

Even when the ceremony was held on campus, the presence of Washington and Lee University students remained minimal. Dorsey said that he chose not to promote the event among the student body or city because he did not want to “step on any toes with the administration.”

Dorsey felt that W&L had “turned its back” on its association with General Lee. He claimed that the university was willing to maintain his name when it was beneficial by generating fame and donations, but recently has attempted to erase the connection amidst political pressures. Dorsey noted that W&L is not unique in its actions, as other universities have been implementing similar changes.

Having a personal connection to the Liberty Hall Volunteers, the Washington College students who served under Stonewall Jackson, Dorsey has been frustrated by W&L’s actions in particular. Though not an alumnus, one of Dorsey’s ancestors served alongside the student brigade, so he was “highly disappointed” by the removal of the Liberty Hall Volunteers memorial plaque from Lee Chapel in 2022.

Despite W&L’s Institutional History Museum initiative, Dorsey says that the university “should leave the history where it is.” He elaborated, “If they can’t respect [the chapel], then they should cut it off and put it in its own nonprofit organization.”

Regarding the debate on how to best honor our nation’s history at the school, Dorsey said that he defers to The Generals Redoubt. He argued that a school’s alumni are the ones who are best able to keep the administration accountable. He did note, however, that The Generals Redoubt was “behind the ball” in opposing the Lee Chapel renovations. Since the administration had always denied having intentions to conceal Lee’s legacy at the school, the alumni were “caught off guard,” according to Dorsey.

He encouraged students interested in learning more about this history and its preservation to contact The Generals Redoubt. Dorsey said that his other organizations involved with Lee-Jackson Day focus their efforts on education. They hope to create spaces that respect the region’s history, unrestrained by external political pressures.

As commander of the Stonewall Brigade Sons of Confederate Veterans, Dorsey helped to establish Lee-Jackson Memorial Park outside Fairfield, Virginia. Having acquired this property in the spring of 2023, Dorsey estimated that the park would be completed in the upcoming years.

The Stonewall Brigade is constructing this memorial independently to avoid political issues, Dorsey said. They refuse any form of government support or involvement since “issues with the [other] monuments have been because of political swings.”

He cited the relocation of Stonewall Jackson’s statue in 2020 from the Virginia Military Institute’s front lawn, W&L’s neighbor, as reasoning for their concern. Dorsey explained that the superintendent of VMI initially refused this order from the governor of Virginia and later lost his job; events Dorsey thought were connected. The government then installed their own “puppet” to carry out the removal of the statue, Dorsey alleged.

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Another participant, Braxton Spivey, impersonated Robert E. Lee. He felt that donning this uniform allowed him to portray his second-great-grandfather, who served as a private in the Third Army of Virginia under Lee.

According to Spivey, many people have expressed their gratitude for him wearing the costume, often noting his resemblance to Lee. This motivates Spivey to continue portraying Lee. “Because if they think I look like him, then I’m keeping his legacy alive,” he remarked.

When asked about Lee’s legacy, Spivey stated that his and Stonewall Jackson’s characters were most inspiring.

To illustrate, Spivey recounted a story of Lee during the Siege of Petersburg. He explained that Lee arranged his office in the front room of a civilian’s house, but, rather than forcing the owners out of their home, Lee slept in his own tent outside on the lawn with his men. “That speaks volumes for that man,” said Spivey. As a child, Spivey resided in this same house.

Spivey continued, discussing how at the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee observed a fence that had fallen during the battle. Knowing that his men had knocked it down, Lee dismounted his horse and repositioned the fence. Spivey believes that these two examples show the character of this Confederate general. He concluded, “There will never be another man like [Lee].”

Spivey has been barred from entering Lee Chapel while wearing his Confederate uniform. Last year, he was required to wear a coat to conceal his costume. Since the renovations to Lee Chapel, Spivey has had “no desire to go in there and see a brick wall where I can’t see the Recumbent.” He continued, saying, “I think it’s a shame what they’ve done.”

From his perspective, the Lexington community today no longer appreciates the legacy of Lee, neither in his time as a general nor as president of Washington College. Concerning W&L, Spivey said, “If they knew what that university was at the end of the war and what Robert E. Lee did for that university, they would have never erased his name off of everything there.” Instead, Spivey suggested, “They would be honoring him today. They would be right here with us today.”

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Sam Winkler impersonated Confederate President Jefferson Davis and spoke at the memorial ceremony while in character. Winkler stated that the goal of Lee-Jackson Day is to “promote and preserve the history of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and the men that served under them.”

Referring to the controversy over this event, Winkler simply stated, “History is history: good, bad, or indifferent.” To him, the ceremony is about “heritage, history, and honor,” not the proliferation of hate.

As a United States Army veteran, he described himself as an American patriot, claiming that Lee-Jackson Day is not anti-American. According to Winkler, the Confederate flag represents rebellion against a “tyrannical government” that was violating the Constitution and “taking away God-given rights.”

Winkler and Spivey both argued that a common misconception is that the Civil War pertained to slavery. Winkler labeled this narrative as a “Yankee cover-up,” arguing that secession was constitutional. He further asserted that the Southern states were simply exercising this right to secession when they formed the Confederate States of America. He also highlighted that the Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in the Confederacy and did not affect the border states that maintained loyalty to the Union.

In addition, Winkler and Spivey mentioned the roles that Stonewall Jackson and members of the Lee family had in educating their slaves. They alleged that despite its illegality, Jackson, Lee’s wife, and Lee’s daughter all instructed their slaves in Christianity by reading the Bible. Although Lee was aware of his family’s actions and the consequence of hanging, he simply advised them to “Please be careful,” reported Spivey.

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Lee-Jackson Day events also included non-Virginia residents. A young man from Monroe, North Carolina, and his friends viewed the day as educational for younger generations. Wearing a North Carolina Confederate officer’s uniform, he was able to share the appearance of these historical figures. As a descendant of many Confederate soldiers who served under Stonewall Jackson, he was also hoping to honor his heritage.

Although the day is very significant to him, he understands why some do not want to participate in the event. In response, he encourages people to research their ancestors. He argued that history always has a story, and it’s our responsibility to continue telling it.