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Google Cited Robert E. Lee’s Birthday Instead Of MLK In Maps App

Jason Chulack Reporting Intern
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Google apologized for not mentioning Martin Luther King Jr. Day when users searched for businesses in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi in its Maps application.

Instead, the Google results said that “Robert E. Lee’s Birthday might affect opening hours,” Alabama news site AL.com reports.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Robert E. Lee’s birthday are both observed on the third Monday in January, but many are left wondering why Martin Luther King Jr. Day (a federal holiday) didn’t supersede Robert E. Lee’s birthday in those states.

Google Maps: Screenshot

Google Maps: Screenshot

“The holiday hours feature lets people know when a business could be closed or its hours could be different due to a holiday,” Google wrote in a statement to The Daily Caller. “Unfortunately, in the three states where Robert E Lee’s birthday is recognized as well, the feature was not surfacing Martin Luther King Day as it should have. We apologize for any offense this may have caused. Our teams worked as quickly as possible to fix the issue.”

TheDC checked later in the day and found that Google added the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in the states having the issue.

Google maps: Screenshot

Google maps: Screenshot