Mississippi's new state flag will feature the magnolia flower after the state in a historic move this summer parted with its decades-old banner that included a … Voters in Mississippi have chosen a new state flag, replacing a 126-year-old banner that incorporated a version of the Confederate battle flag. “Whether we like it or not, the Confederate emblem on our state flag is viewed by many as a symbol of hate — there’s no getting around that fact,” Jason White, a Republican state representative, said on the floor of the House on Saturday. Former Mississippi Gov. Voters approved Proposition A, which reaffirmed the use of the flag adopted in 1894 containing the Confederate battle cross. They contended that Mississippi, as one of the poorest states, could not afford to have barriers turning away outside investment. Many cities moved on their own to take down the flag and all eight of the state’s public universities lowered it on their campuses. (WJTV)- The Mississippi House of Representatives voted Sunday to remove the current state flag which carries the Confederate battle emblem. – Mississippi lawmakers voted to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag this weekend after fierce debate that Gov. Tate Reeves signed the bill into law. During the discussion in the Legislature, much of the dissent about changing the flag was focused less on an outright defense of it and more about voicing support of a referendum. A new Mississippi flag without Confederate images was flying in parts of the state on Wednesday, one day after a majority of voters approved the … The ballot measure presented voters with two potential state flags.Voters approved Proposition A, which reaffirmed the use of the flag … A new Mississippi flag without Confederate images was flying in parts of the state on Wednesday, one day after a majority voters approved the design that has a magnolia encircled by stars and the phrase “In God We Trust.” Officials hoisted the flag outside Hattiesburg City Hall and on the campus of the University of Mississippi in Oxford. “This was a long time coming,” Nsombi Lambright-Haines said after applause broke out in the Capitol and a crowd huddled inside tossed aside coronavirus precautions for a brief second and embraced one other. Mississippi has been without a flag since late June, when legislators surrendered the last state banner in the U.S. that included the Confederate battle emblem “To insist that somehow the slippery slope is illogical is to ignore the tide of history,” he said on the Senate floor on Sunday. Let Mississippi Vote is a grassroots group of statewide volunteers who are fighting to give voters the right to decide which flag represents Mississippi. The state Senate easily passed House Bill 1 on Wednesday following an overwhelming state House vote … [19], More than 2000 submissions (other estimates put this figure at 2800 images, but a few images were erroneously repeated) meeting the legislative criteria were received and displayed on the Mississippi Department of Archives and History website. Slight modifications were made to the original design, including making the text bolder and the red and gold bars thicker. [11] In the Senate, the bill was passed with 37 in favor and 14 against. Mississippi would remain without an official state flag until a new one is adopted through this process. Election 2020 Mississippi Flag FILE - This Sept. 2, 2020 file photo shows the magnolia centered banner chosen by the Mississippi State Flag Commission displayed outside the Old State Capitol Museum in downtown Jackson, Miss. [29] Rocky Vaughan is credited with designing the flag's overall layout, with design support provided by Sue Anna Joe, Kara Giles and Dominique Pugh (who created the magnolia illustration featured in the center). Mississippi voters chose to keep the Confederate-themed flag during a 2001 election, but all of the state's public universities and several cities and counties stopped flying it in recent years. Updated Dec. 4, 2020 Answer The state Senate easily passed House Bill 1 on Wednesday following an overwhelming state House vote a day earlier to cement the voter-approved flag into state code. [21], At an August 14 meeting, the commission announced that they had selected nine proposals. It replaces the previous flag that displayed the Confederate battle insignia in the upper left hand corner, which was … [37][38], "Let Mississippi Vote" is a group that is attempting another referendum on a choice of four flag designs including the Magnolia flag that was adopted in the November 2020 referendum and the version that it replaced. [7], On June 28, 2020, the Mississippi Legislature passed a bill, House Bill 1796, that would relinquish the state flag, remove the state flag from public buildings within 15 days of the bill's effective date, and constitute a nine-member commission to design a new flag that would be put to voters in a referendum to be held in November 2020. JACKSON, Miss. Scott Waller, the CEO of the Mississippi Economic Council, said he hopes people will vote from the top of the ballot to the bottom, which is where the flag referendum will be located. The new Mississippi flag design. The flag, which has flown since 1894, is poised to come down, becoming yet another emblem of the Confederacy to be removed across the South. Various polls show that, even as the number of people supporting a change has increased, nearly half of the state was resistant to the idea. The magnolia centered banner chosen Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 by the Mississippi State Flag Commission flies outside the Old State Capitol Museum in downtown Jackson, Miss. [15] In accordance with the rules imposed by House Bill 1796, designs would only be accepted if they contained the words "In God We Trust" and not include the Confederate battle flag. This flag was chosen by the Commission to Redesign the Mississippi State Flag and was approved by state referendum on November 3, 2020. [12], Governor Tate Reeves signed the flag bill into law on June 30, 2020. by Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press, Updated: June 28, 2020 . The flag, the only state banner left in the country with the overt Confederate symbol, served for many as an inescapable sign of Mississippi’s racial scars and of the consequences of that history in defining perceptions of the state. Should the referendum result in a "no" vote for the proposed design, the commission would reconvene and propose different designs. [1] The referendum passed by a 73% to 27% margin on November 3, 2020. Mississippi lawmakers vote to remove Confederate emblem from flag by Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press , Updated: June 28, 2020 Larry Eubanks of Star waves the current Mississippi state flag as he sits before the front of the Capitol, Saturday, in Jackson, Miss. Mississippi voters chose to keep the Confederate-themed flag during a 2001 election, but all of the state's public universities and several cities and counties stopped flying it in recent years. Former state Supreme Court Justice Reuben V. Anderson, who serves as president of the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, was unanimously elected as the commission's chairman at its first meeting on July 22. “We need to come up with ways to make this as hard on them as possible and make them regret it,” the post said. In Mississippi, the state with the nation’s highest percentage of African-Americans, that has long been the understanding of black residents. On Saturday, Legislators began the process of filing measures to address the removal of the state flag. The bill stipulates the current flag must be removed within 15 days of the vote. Scott Waller, the CEO of the Mississippi Economic Council, said he hopes people will vote from the top of the ballot to the bottom, which is where the flag referendum will be located. The nine member committee voted to recommend a design with the state flower. Voters were able to vote either yes to adopt the new flag or no to … JACKSON • Mississippi’s new magnolia-themed flag design is a step away from state law. Mississippi state Rep. Edward Blackmon Jr. (D-Madison) spoke before a vote to remove the Confederate emblem from the state flag on June 27. “The argument over the 1894 flag has become as divisive as the flag itself,” Mr. Reeves said in a statement, “and it’s time to end it.”. As the legislation repealed the sections of the Mississippi State Code which made provisions for a state flag, namely Section 3-3-16, Mississippi ceased to have an official state flag at this point. The measure now goes to Gov. (Mississippi Legislature/YouTube) By The 2020 Mississippi flag referendum was a legislatively referred state statute appearing on the November 3, 2020 general election ballot in Mississippi.. After reviewing hundreds of possible options, the Mississippi Flag Commission selected the “New Magnolia” design on Sept. 2. [2] It was then approved by the Mississippi State House of Representatives on January 5, 2021 and passed by the State Senate on January 6, 2021. She noted how, after years of pushing, the balance suddenly had shifted in the favor of those wanting to retire the flag to history. The new flag features a red, gold and blue design with a magnolia at its center. Voters approved the design in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. Before they voted on Sunday, lawmakers described wrestling with competing emotions about the flag’s meaning and spoke passionately about a desire to unify Mississippi. Mississippi flag comes down after vote to remove Confederate emblem – video Mississippi lawmakers have faced increasing pressure to change the flag, which features the … The legislation cleared a significant procedural hurdle on Saturday as a supermajority in both the House of Representatives and Senate voted to move ahead. The commission also added that suggestions would need to be unique and adhere to principles of the North American Vexillological Association: that the design should use only two or three basic colors, be simple enough for a child to draw, and have meaningful symbolism. [4] This was the first substantial action to change the state flag since the 2001 referendum. These are the five design choices to be considered for Mississippi's new flag. “I don’t know how long I want to sit around and watch Mississippi get kicked around because of a piece of cloth we have hanging over our capitol,” W. Briggs Hopson III, a Republican state senator, told his colleagues before the vote. Lici Beveridge, Mississippi Clarion Ledger 8/25/2020. [15] The act stipulated that any design proposed by the commission must include the words "In God We Trust" and must not contain the Confederate battle flag. Their stated aim is to give Mississippians a choice instead of voting on only one flag. In late June, Mississippi legislators voted to retire the last state flag to include the Confederate battle emblem — a red field topped by a blue X with white stars. ", "Commission to Redesign the Mississippi State Flag Top Two Finalists | Mississippi Department of Archives & History", "Commission selects New Magnolia Flag for voters to consider in November", "Mississippi Has Chosen Its New Flag Design. Yet the calls for a change resonated more widely because of economic concerns raised by business leaders and moderate Republicans. The Mississippi State Flag Referendum was on the ballot in Mississippi on as a legislatively referred state statute on April 17, 2001 . The flag will replace the 1894 design that featured the Confederate emblem after it was removed from display at Government buildings through a June vote by the Mississippi … [20] Each of the 9 commission members picked 25 flags, narrowing the list down to 147. Supporters of the Confederate-themed Mississippi flag are starting an initiative that seeks to put four flag designs on the statewide ballot for another vote — the 1894 flag, the magnolia flag, one designed by a Jackson artist as an alternative to the 1894 flag … The vote in the Senate was 37-14. The bill stipulates the current flag must be removed within 15 days of the vote. The Mississippi state legislature -- both the House and Senate -- passed a resolution on Saturday that will begin the process to change the state's flag. [36] Both The American Humanist Association and Americans United for Separation of Church and State have published their own editorials decrying the use of the phrase on a new flag. Supporters of Mississippi state flag want to see issue brought to a vote Fans of the controversial banner also say that they see no need to make a … The group reached their goal of 5000 volunteers and have sent wording for their referendum to the Mississippi Attorney General's Office for approval. Whether legislators will change Mississippi's flag to remove its Confederate battle emblem appears to hinge on the decisions of a few Republican senators. – Mississippi lawmakers voted to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag this weekend after fierce debate that Gov. The bill now heads to Gov. The vote in the Senate was 37-14. In a tearful reflection after the state Senate vote, Moore said that he was glad his 9-year-old daughter does not have to come of age in a Mississippi under the symbol that the state flag represents. Mississippi lawmakers vote to remove Confederate battle emblem from its flag Mississippi's state flag will lose its official status as soon as GOP Gov. A single design is on the ballot for a yes-or-no vote. The new banner would be forbidden from having the Confederate battle emblem and must include the phrase “In God we trust.” The commission would be charged with arriving at a design by September for it to be put up for a vote on the November ballot. [5] On June 24, Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann announced his support for a new flag. Arekia Bennett, a 27-year-old Mississippi native, was overwhelmed with emotions. The argument for changing the flag was a moral one for some. It would be a sharp contrast from the last time the flag was opened to a statewide ballot, in 2001, when voters overwhelmingly decided to keep the flag. Voters in Mississippi have chosen a new state flag, replacing a 126-year-old banner that incorporated a version of the Confederate battle flag. A varied assortment that included country music stars, the state’s black and white Baptist conventions, civil rights organizations and associations of bankers, manufacturers and librarians also indicated their opposition. [3], On June 9, 2020 lawmakers gathered votes and started drafting legislation to change the state flag. JACKSON, Miss. State legislature. Here's what that means. [2], After an earlier redesign proposal had been voted down in the 2001 Mississippi flag referendum and following the adoption of a new state flag by Georgia in 2003, the Mississippi flag remained the only U.S. state flag to include the Confederate battle flag's saltire. STATE FLAG. Chris Brown, a Republican state representative, said he had heard from many constituents who supported removing the flag but who also wanted to use a statewide vote to send a message about Mississippi. [6] Hosemann was joined by Attorney General Lynn Fitch, State Auditor Shad White, Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson and Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. “They want to show the world that they’re moving on,” Mr. Brown said. The magnolia centered banner chosen Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 by the Mississippi State Flag Commission flies outside the Old State Capitol Museum in downtown Jackson, Miss. Update: In a ceremony on Tuesday evening, Gov. In the House, the bill was passed by 91 in favor and 23 against. Tate Reeves for his signature or veto. William Winter, who is now 97, served on then-President Bill Clinton's national advisory board on race in the 1990s and was chairman of the Mississippi flag commission in 2000. [32], The Satanic Temple has threatened to sue the State of Mississippi if the controversial phrase "In God We Trust" is included on the flag. They would need valid signatures of 106,190 Mississippi residents for the initiative to be placed on a ballot as early as 2021. Mississippi flag poll: Voters can vote multiple times. Tate Reeves for his signature or veto. [39][40][41], Please vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on whether the following design shall be the official Mississippi State Flag, Commission to Redesign the Mississippi State Flag, Flag of Mississippi § Proposals to change the 1894 flag, 2020 Initiative 65 (Medical marijuana legalization), North American Vexillological Association, national protests following the death of George Floyd, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Tuesday after the first Monday in November, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Removal of Confederate monuments and memorials, "Mississippi Ballot Measure 3, State Flag Referendum (2020)", "Mississippi votes in favor of adopting new flag", "Historic Protests for Black Lives Sweep Mississippi Over Weekend", "Senate Democrats file resolution to change state flag after earlier action by House members", "Breaking: Lt. Gov. A Mississippi state flag at the Capitol in Jackson on Thursday. The vote occurred as protests over racial injustice were taking place across the nation and Confederate monuments were … Mississippi in 2001 voted overwhelmingly to retain its current flag, hailed by its defenders as a proud symbol of southern heritage and history. Tate Reeves of Mississippi signed into law the measure replacing the state flag. It’s now the view of many white Mississippians as well. The debate has raged in recent weeks over the continued presence of the Confederate symbol — 13 white stars atop a blue X with a red background — on … The vote in the Senate was 37-14. The Mississippi State Flag Referendum was on the ballot in Mississippi on as a legislatively referred state statute on April 17, 2001.. “People’s hearts have changed,” Philip Gunn, the Republican House speaker who was one of the strongest proponents of bringing the measure to a vote in the Legislature, told reporters on Sunday. The groundswell effort to change the flag belied the extent of the division that still exists over the banner and how to interpret the legacy it symbolizes. The vote occurred as protests over racial injustice were taking place across the nation and Confederate monuments were being toppled or taken down by authorities. What flag did Mississippi vote on? (Mississippi Legislature/YouTube) Voters were asked whether the design proposed by the Commission to Redesign the Mississippi State Flag, which does not contain the Confederate battle flag and includes the words "In God We Trust", should be adopted as the new official flag of Mississippi. Entries were to be submitted by email or by post and be received by the commission by August 13, 2020 to be considered. “This has taught us a lesson,” Robert L. Johnson III, the House Democratic leader, told reporters, noting the legislation had bipartisan support that bridged racial and geographic lines. Many lawmakers said removing the flag had an air of inevitability, as Mississippi increasingly looked like a conspicuous holdout as activists pushed to minimize and contextualize the remnants of the Confederacy that have long been on prominent display. The new Mississippi flag design. [18] The deadline was moved to August 1st to allow time for the commission to complete the selection process. The Mississippi Legislature took historic votes Saturday that will allow lawmakers to vote on changing the state flag Sunday. The financial threat had been underscored by recent announcements by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Southeastern Conference that Mississippi would be precluded from hosting championship events until the flag was changed. [22][23] Five semifinalists were published on August 18, and this was reduced to two finalists on August 25. The measure now goes to Gov. “We are better today than we were yesterday, and because we are better, we are stronger.”. Does It Match Your Pick? Chris McDaniel, a Republican state senator who has been one of the most ardent critics of the legislation, argued that changing the flag represented a dangerous precedent for erasing history. In 2001, a survey conducted by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) placed Mississippi's flag 22nd in design quality of the 72 Canadian provincial, U.S. state and U.S. territorial flags ranked. Mississippi has been without a flag since late June, when legislators surrendered the last state banner in the U.S. that included the Confederate battle emblem Let Mississippi Vote may say that their main concern is giving a voice back to the people of Mississippi. Mississippi voters chose to keep the Confederate-themed flag during a 2001 election, but all of the state's public universities and several cities and counties stopped flying it in recent years. [8][9] The bill required that the Confederate battle flag not be included on the proposed design, and the motto "In God We Trust" be included,[10] as Georgia did when it removed the Confederate emblem from its state flag in 2003. Mississippi in 2001 voted overwhelmingly to retain its current flag, hailed by its defenders as a proud symbol of southern heritage and history. The ballot measure presented voters with two potential state flags. Tate Reeves, a … Mississippi legislators in late June retired a 126-year-old state flag that was the last in the U.S. to include the Confederate battle emblem. JACKSON • Mississippi’s new magnolia-themed flag design is a step away from state law. The public may vote on their favorite designs at mdah.ms.gov/flagpoll-top5. In a tearful reflection after the state Senate vote, Moore said that he was glad his 9-year-old daughter does not have to come of age in a Mississippi under the symbol that the state flag represents. JACKSON, Miss. Delbert Hosemann seems to open the door to legislative action on the Mississippi state flag without a popular vote. These proposals, depicting various elements including a representation of the Mississippi River, magnolias, and stars composed of diamonds significant to the Choctaw nation, had either red, white, and blue or green and white color schemes. Mr. Reeves, a Republican, said on Saturday that he would sign a bill, which represented the latest evolution in his thinking. [27][28], On September 2, the commission voted 8–1 to put the New Magnolia flag on the November ballot. “This is progress,” she said, “that no one thought we could make.”, Mississippi Lawmakers Vote to Retire State Flag Rooted in the Confederacy. 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