Andy Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

Shelby County, Tennessee, found itself at the center of a heated debate over the renaming of the federal holiday “Presidents' Day” after Democrat Commissioner Henri Brooks proposed an amendment titled “Racial Exclusion and Humiliation” to the board on Wednesday.

Brooks argued that the current name of the holiday is “racist” due to the historical ties of some past presidents to slavery.

She advocated for renaming the holiday to “Family, Friends, and Employees Holiday” to better reflect the values of inclusivity and respect for all in her proposal, The Post Millennial reports.

Brooks emphasized that the holiday was initially established to honor Founding Father George Washington. However, she expressed her discomfort in celebrating Washington's legacy, given his history as a slaveholder.

“If we're going to honor his history and legacy, let's not cherrypick and whitewash,” she asserted. “Slavery was legal in this country from its beginning as a nation, having been practiced in North America from early colonial days.”

Brooks dove into American history during her presentation of the bill, highlighting that slavery was a legal institution from the nation's inception and was practiced even in the earliest colonial days.

She pointed out that twelve U.S. presidents, including eight while in office, owned, bought, and enslaved individuals at some point in their lives.

Brooks argued that the current name of the holiday fails to acknowledge this painful aspect of the nation's past because ten out of the first twelve American presidents were slave owners.

Brooks then advocated for a countywide name change to “Family, Friends, and Employees Holiday” as a step towards recognizing the contributions and experiences of all individuals, regardless of race or background.

Brooks' proposal stirred up a storm of controversy on social media after a video clip of her presentation circulated on X. Users expressed frustration and skepticism towards what they perceived as an overreach of accusations of racism.

“WOW. Shelby County Commissioner Henri Brooks (D-TN) proposed an amendment to change President's Day to “Family, Friends, and Employees Holiday” because President's Day is 'racist,'” wrote Libs Of TikTok on X.

“According to Democrats I would really love to know what’s not racist?” one user questioned, reflecting a sentiment shared by many in the comments section.

Another commenter lamented the dilution of the term “racist,” stating, “Everything is racist, the word has become so diluted it means nothing anymore.”

Some expressed skepticism about the intentions behind the proposal amidst the online backlash.

“I’m getting the impression that Democrats don’t really love their country,” remarked another social media user, highlighting the partisan divide over issues of national identity and historical remembrance.