New flag, sans Confederate emblem, flies over Mississippi Capitol. Here are reactions
“Genuinely beautiful,” “gorgeous” and “an excellent improvement.”
Those are words used to describe Mississippi’s new state flag, which flew at the state Capitol for the first time Monday.
Governor Tate Reeves signed the design into law this week, nearly six months after lawmakers voted to retire the former, Confederate-themed banner. The new flag features a blooming magnolia and the phrase “In God We Trust” surrounded by 20 stars — a nod to Mississippi’s “status as the 20th state in the union,” CNN reported.
It marked a moment of pride for residents such as Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, who cheered the new flag design in a Twitter post Monday.
“Proud to call Mississippi my home,” Freeman wrote alongside a photo of the flag flying high.
This sentiment was echoed by fellow Mississippians who were ready to bid farewell to one of the last flags featuring the Confederate battle emblem, a symbol Reeves on Monday called “a prominent roadblock to unity.”
“When many looked at our former flag, they just saw a symbol of the state and heritage they love,” Reeves said, according to the Associated Press. “But many felt dismissed, diminished and even hated because of that flag. That is not a firm foundation for our state. So today, we turn the page.”
Others cheered the new, updated flag on social media.
“I never thought I would see a Mississippi flag that wasn’t a slap in my face,” a Twitter user commented. “I still can’t believe they changed it.”
“So thankful that Mississippi removed this symbolic stain on our state, by adopting the new Mississippi flag,” wrote another. “One of the better things that happened in 2020.”
Another user said they liked the design so much, they “kinda wanna buy a (face) mask with the new Mississippi flag on it.”
The state faced pressure to do away with the Confederate-themed banner, which was adopted in 1894, after nationwide social justice protests sparked by the death of George Floyd last summer. State lawmakers began drafting a resolution to adopt a new state flag and several designs were put forward, McClatchy News reported.
The “New Magnolia” flag beat out over 3,000 other designs and landed on the Nov. 3 ballot. More than 71% of residents voted in favor of making it their new state flag, according to the Associated Press.
“It is one small effort to unify,” Reeves said of the new flag on Monday, “but it is done in good faith.”
This story was originally published January 13, 2021 at 11:40 AM.