Nathan Bedford Forrest Day is observed in Tennessee on July 13. This holiday commemorates Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate Army general, slave trader, and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Born in 1821, Forrest became a prominent figure in the South, amassing wealth through cotton plantations and slave trading before enlisting as a private in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Despite his lack of formal military training, he rose to the rank of lieutenant general and participated in several significant battles. The observance of this day has become controversial due to Forrest's background and views, leading to growing opposition over the years. In 2020, the Tennessee legislature passed a bill that released the governor from the obligation to issue a proclamation for the holiday annually, although the observance continues.