Monday is Confederate Memorial Day across Georgia, closing state offices and giving state employees a day off.

The holiday likely dates back to before 1874, though that’s when it became an official state holiday.

Michael Shaffer, assistant director of Kennesaw State’s Civil War Center, tells us more about the holiday and why we celebrate it.

Tags: holiday, Civil War, Confederate Memorial Day, kennesaw state university, confederate memorial, michael shaffer, civil war center