The Mississippi state legislature voted Sunday to remove the Confederate battle emblem from its state flag, ABC News reports.
What We Know:
- In early June, a bipartisan group of legislators in Mississippi made a push to remove the Confederate logo from the state flag.
- Their efforts were realized Sunday afternoon when the state house voted 91-23 to remove the emblem and the Senate quickly followed with a 37-14 vote in favor.
- The bill now heads to Governor Tate Reeves’ desk, who already signaled that he would sign it into law if it passed the legislature.
- The Confederate “stars and bars” has been part of Mississippi’s flag since 1894 and is the last state flag that still displays the emblem.
- The legislature’s decision comes at a time when Confederate statues and memorials are coming down in cities across the country. All of which have followed the death of George Floyd and the nation’s calls for racial justice and equality.
- Former vice president and Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden tweeted Sunday in support of the state’s decision.
The arc of the moral universe bent a little bit more today. https://t.co/OzyeyLc3Rc
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 28, 2020
The Mississippi House Rules Committee has recommended that a flag commission be established to present a new flag option to voters in November. A new flag is not allowed to include a Confederate symbol and must include the words “In God We Trust”.
