History of the Mississippi Flag

With the debate surrounding the flag we decided to find out more about it.

16 WAPT's Will Owens has more on the history of the state flag.

WITHIN THE STATE AND ACROSS THECOUNTRY, WE TAKE ALOOK AT HOW THE STATE'S FLAGFIRSTBEGAN TO FLY.STEPHANIE ROLPH/ HISTORYPROFESSORMILLSAPS COLLEGE"WELL THE FLAG WASN'T ACTUALLYAPPROVED UNTIL 1894, WHICH WAS ACOUPLE OF DECADES PAST WHAT WECONSIDER TO BE EVEN THERECONSTRUCTION ERA IN AMERICANHISTORY.STEPHANIE ROLPH, A HISTORYPROFESSOR ATMILLSAPS COLLEGE SAYS THERE WEREMULTIPLEDISCUSSIONS ON THE TABLE FOR THESTATE, BEFORE DECIDING ON ASTATE FLAG.

SHE SAYS THERE WEREGENERATIONS OFCONFEDERATE VETERANS WHO WEREAGING ANDVOCALIZED NEEDED SUPPORT FROMTHEFEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONCERNINGPENSIONS.

STEPHANIE ROLPH/"AS THEIR VOICES BECAME LOUDER,THEREWERE OTHER DEMANDS ON THEBUDGET.

THERE WERE PEOPLE WHOWANTED TO BUILD ASTATE PENITENTIARY,THERE WEREPEOPLE WHO WANTED TO BUILD AVETERANS HOME FOR CONFEDERATEVETERANSTO BE NURSED IN.

"ROLPH SAYS RIVAL POLITICALPARTIESBEGAN TO COME TO SURFACE WITHINTHESTATE, ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONEMOVING FORWARD.

SHE SAYS WHILETHERE WERE DEBATES ANDDISAGREEMENTSAMONGST PARTIES, THEY BOTHACKNOWLEDGED HOW IMPORTANT ITWAS TO SECURE THE SUPPORTAND LOYALTY FROM THE CONFEDERATEVETERANS."ONE OF THE WAYS THEY DID THAT,WHILE PRESERVING SOME OF THEIRBUDGETPRIORITIES WAS TO ACTUALLYCREATE A FLAG THAT WOULD HONORTHEIR SERVICE BYRECOGNIZING THE CONFEDERATEBATTLEFLAG AS PART OF THE STATE FLAG."I ASKED ROLPH WHERE SHE THINKSTHINGS MAYGO MOVING FORWARD, ON THE DEBATETHAT'S ON THE TOP OF MILLIONS OFPEOPLE'S MINDS."WHILE MANY PEOPLE SEE IT AS ASYMBOL, THESYMBOLIC REMOVAL OF THAT FLAG ASA REPRESENTATION OF MISSISSIPPIWOULD BEONE STEP, JUST ONE, BUT A REALLYIMPORTANT ONETO MOVE US FORWARD INTO ARECKONING THATWE ALL NEED TO ENTER INTO." WILLOWENS/STANDUPPRESSURE IS NOW ON MANYLAWMAKERS TO DECIDE WHETHER ACHANGE OF FLAG WILLHAPPEN FOR THE STATE, OR WHETHERMISSISSIPPIWILL RETAIN ITS CURRENT FLAG.

INJACKSON WILLIAM OWENS 16 WAPTNEWS.

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