The state of Mississippi legislature has voted to change its state flag due to the presence of the Confederate flag within it.
The decision comes just 10 days after the NCAA and SEC threatened to keep collegiate tournaments from the state unless the flag was changed.
On Sunday, Mississippi’s state legislature (both the House and Senate) voted to change the flag that has been under fire for still having an exact replica of the Confederate Stars and Bars.
The bill now goes to the desk of Governor Tate Reeves for signing. Reeves has stated he would sign a bill that mandates the removal of the Confederate flag.
On June 18, both the NCAA and SEC both issued statements saying they would consider not hosting tournament events in the state unless the flag was changed.
While other states have some remnants of the Confederate flag incorporated into their flags, Mississippi is the last state to have the Confederate Battle Emblem in its entirety, positioned in the top-left corner of its flag.
In the days and weeks since the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, Confederate statues and symbols have been coming down all over the country.
Along with statues being removed, there has even been discussion of taking the names of Confederate officers off military basis. There are currently 10 bases named after Confederate officers, most notably Fort Hood in Texas and Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
Ten days ago both the SEC and NCAA issued statements calling for a change in the flag, applying the pressure of lost dollars with the removal of collegiate tournaments.
“It is past time for change to be made to the flag of the state of Mississippi,” said SEC commissioner Greg Sankey in a statement. “In the event there is no change, there will be consideration of precluding Southeastern Conference events from being conducted in the state of Mississippi until the state flag is changed.”
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