Texas Senator Ted Cruz urged the state of Tennessee to change a law requiring its governor to sign a proclamation ordering a day to honor Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, an early leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

'This is WRONG,' Cruz wrote in the tweet posted on Friday. 'Tennessee should not have an official day (tomorrow) honoring him. Change the law.'

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee told reporters this week that a 1969 state law required him to sign the proclamation, which he did, and July 13 was once again designated as 'Nathan Bedford Forrest Day.'

Lee, who was photographed in Confederate soldier costume at a fraternity party in college, told the Tennessean on Friday: 'I signed the bill because the law requires that I do that and I haven’t looked at changing that law.'

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (right) complied with a 'Holidays' law requiring him to declare a special day to honor Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, an early leader of the Ku Klux Klan. US Senator for Texas Ted Cruz (left) blasted the law, saying 'This is WRONG' and calling for it to be changed

Lee's proclamation praised Forrest as 'a recognized military figure in American history and a native Tennessean.'

Forrest was a Confederate cavalry general who had amassed a fortune as a plantation owner and slave trader in Memphis before the Civil War.

Forrest was also a delegate to the 1868 Democratic Convention, held that year at Tammany Hall in New York City.

The slogan of that convention was: 'This is a White Man's Country, Let White Men Rule.'

'This is WRONG,' Cruz wrote in the tweet posted on Friday. 'Tennessee should not have an official day (tomorrow) honoring him. Change the law'

Nathan Bedford Forrest (pictured) was a Confederate cavalry general who had amassed a fortune as a plantation owner and slave trader in Memphis before the Civil War. Forrest was also a delegate to the 1868 Democratic Convention, held that year at Tammany Hall in New York City. The slogan of that convention was: 'This is a White Man's Country, Let White Men Rule'

Lee's proclamation praised Forrest as 'a recognized military figure in American history and a native Tennessean'

By Friday, Lee was receiving pushback from both Republicans and Democrats for signing the proclamation.

Democratic US Representative for Tennessee Steve Cohen echoed Cruz's sentiments in a tweet of his own, shared on Friday.

'We should not be honoring Nathan Bedford Forrest, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and the perpetrator of the massacre at Fort Pillow,' Cohen tweeted. 'Gov. Lee should be bringing #Tennessee into the 21st century not backsliding into the 19th.'

Democratic US Representative for Tennessee Steve Cohen echoed Cruz's sentiments in a tweet of his own, shared on Friday. 'We should not be honoring Nathan Bedford Forrest, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and the perpetrator of the massacre at Fort Pillow,' Cohen tweeted. 'Gov. Lee should be bringing #Tennessee into the 21st century not backsliding into the 19th'

The law, under Title 15 of Tennessee Code dealing with "Holidays," states:

'Each year it is the duty of the governor of this state to proclaim the following as days of special observance: January 19, “Robert E. Lee Day”; February 12, “Abraham Lincoln Day”; March 15, “Andrew Jackson Day”; June 3, “Memorial Day” or “Confederate Decoration Day”; July 13, “Nathan Bedford Forrest Day”; and November 11, “Veterans' Day.” The governor shall invite the people of this state to observe the days in schools, churches, and other suitable places with appropriate ceremonies expressive of the public sentiment befitting the anniversary of such dates.'

Before the law was passed designating the 'special day of observance' for Forrest and others in 1969, Forrest Day was a holiday, legislative librarian Eddie Weeks said.

It was first celebrated as a holiday in 1921, which marked what would have been Forrest's 100th birthday.

Democrats in the stage legislature have previously tried to change the 'day of special observance' law, but were unsuccessful.

When asked about changing the law, Lee said: 'I haven’t even looked at that law, other than knowing I needed to comply with it, so that’s what I did. When we look at the law, then we’ll see.'

During Lee's first few weeks in office in January he was vocal about his opposition to removing a bust of Forrest which is currently located in the Capitol, right outside of the Senate and House chambers in Nashville.

He said at the time that he felt it would be 'a mistake to whitewash history.'

Though he initially brushed off suggestions that additional context should be included surrounding the bust, he later said he open to adding information.

No additional context has yet been provided near the bust.

Another statue of Forrest depicting him mounted on a horse and in Confederate uniform was removed from Health Sciences Park in Memphis. The park, which was previously known as Forrest Park before it was renamed in 2013, was sold to private ownership, enabling its removal on December 20, 2017.

This was after the city passed an ordinance to remove Confederate statues from public parks following the deadly Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in August of 2017.

Regarding Lee being pictured in Confederate uniform at Kappa Alpha Order fraternity parties while attending Auburn University, Lee told the Tennessean in February: 'I never intentionally acted in an insensitive way, but with the benefit of hindsight, I can see that participating in that was insensitive and I’ve come to regret it.'