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Mississippi Governor Approves Removal of Confederate Imagery From State Flag

“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,” Governor Tate Reeves wrote.

Mississippi’s governor approved the removal of Confederate imagery from the state’s flag Tuesday. It’s the last state flag to incorporate the blue “X” with white stars on a red field, a symbol used by the Confederate army as it rode into battle. Governor Tate Reeves, a Republican, said in a statement, “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.” Both houses of the state’s legislature approved the bill last week. The flag’s ties to slavery and racism have long been a source of tension in Mississippi, where it has flown since 1894. The move comes amid a wider reckoning over racist symbols and corporate logos sparked by protests against racial injustice and police brutality.