LEXINGTON, Va. — Virginia is marking Lee-Jackson Day, a state holiday dedicated to two towering figures in the Civil War.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans are marking the occasion Friday with a symposium in Lexington, where Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson had strong ties and where both men are buried. A flag vigil is also planned at city flag-holders.

The subject of the Confederate flags remains a prickly subject in Lexington. City officials banned the flying of that flag and others on municipal light poles in 2011.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans protested the decision, and decided to legally challenge ban.

The Southern heritage group says the dispute is scheduled to be argued before a federal appeals court in March.

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