The Fight To Remove Confederate Emblem From The Mississippi Flag Escalates

In a December 2017 article by The Sun, a tabloid newspaper from the United Kingdom, The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was quoted mentioning the Confederate Flag. The organization said, “To many white Southerners, the flag is an emblem of regional heritage and pride. But to others, it has a starkly different meaning, representing racism, slavery, and the country’s long history of oppression of African Americans. It’s difficult to make the case today that the Confederate flag is not a racist symbol."

The SPLC has fallen under some criticism of its own in recent years with accusations that it labels virtually anyone who does not fall in line with its left-wing ideology an “extremist” or “hate group,” but most people agree with the last sentence that the flag is a racist symbol.

City council members in Gulfport, Mississippi, agreed as well and on Tuesday (June 16) they voted unanimously to take down the state flag, which includes the Confederate battle emblem, from municipal buildings. The flag was replaced with the historic Magnolia Flag, which was adopted as the official state flag from 1861 to 1865, according to the Mississippi Historical Society.

The growing movement to remove Confederate flags and symbols goes beyond the halls of Mississippi government buildings. It extends to schools and universities and even to the vaunted football fields of Southeastern Conference (SEC) universities.

Greg Sankey, the commissioner of the SEC, said Thursday evening the conference would consider banning championship events in Mississippi until the state changes its flag, which contains the Confederate battle emblem. Ole Miss and Mississippi State University are members of the SEC.

Sankey said, “It is past time for change to be made to the flag of the state of Mississippi. Our students deserve an opportunity to learn and compete in environments that are inclusive and welcoming to all.”

The results of an incomplete poll of the state’s lawmakers by reporters from Mississippi Today, a nonprofit news and media company, showed support for the change of flag. The tally as of June 18 was:

• Members who want the Legislature to change the flag – 44
• Those voting to keep the current flag – 3
• Those who want voters to decide – 27
• Those who provided no comment – 27
• Members who have not yet been reached – 23

Excluded from the poll were members of the Legislative Black Caucus that has unanimously endorsed changing the state flag. Those polled included non-caucus members, mostly white Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.

Other public figures commented on the same. Mississippi State President Mark Keenum released a statement shortly after Sankey’s statement was published that read, “Since 2015, our Student Association, Robert Holland Faculty Senate and university administration have been firmly on record in support of changing the state flag.”

Ole Miss Chancellor Glenn Boyce and Athletics Director Keith Carter released a joint statement, “The University of Mississippi community concluded years ago that the Confederate battle flag did not represent many of our core values, such as civility and respect for others.”

One bill is already pending before the Senate Constitution committee, but Senator Chris Johnson (R-Miss.), chair of the committee, has said he will not take the bill up. The Legislature is expected to remain in session until next Friday. It will require a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate to consider any bill to change the flag.