A Mississippi state flag flies outside the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Mississippi governor signs law removing confederate design from state flag
By Russel Lewis
A Mississippi state flag flies outside the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Mississippi’s official state flag, which dates to 1894 and includes the Confederate battle flag, is being retired.
Gov. Tate Reeves signed the measure into law Tuesday, saying, “This is not a political moment to me but a solemn occasion to lead our Mississippi family to come together, to be reconciled, and to move on.”
“I know there are people of goodwill who are not happy to see this flag change,” Reeves said. “They fear a chain reaction of events erasing our history—a history that is no doubt complicated and imperfect. I understand those concerns and am determined to protect Mississippi from that dangerous outcome.”
A nine-member commission will design a new flag. It cannot contain the Confederate battle flag but must include the term “In God We Trust.” Voters will consider the new new flag in November, and if they reject it, another design will be proposed.
Mississippi is the last state to remove the Confederate battle emblem from its flag (several states, including Alabama and Florida, include imagery that resembles Confederate symbols).
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