Texas Observes Confederate Heroes Day Amid Growing Debate

AUSTIN (AP) — Texas on Friday observed Confederate Heroes Day as a state holiday after recent failed attempts to change the name and avoid occasional calendar conflicts with Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
It was the 45th anniversary of Texas observing the holiday, and at least eight other states have similar holidays that remember Confederate soldiers. But this year in particular follows heightened protests and criticism across the country over Confederate symbols.
Last fall, the University o