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Mississippi legislature votes to replace state flag that includes Confederate elements

Gov. Tate Reeves says he will sign bill
Mississippi legislature votes to replace state flag that includes Confederate elements
Posted at 7:11 PM, Jun 28, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-28 19:39:57-04

JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi legislators have voted to remove a Confederate battle emblem from their state flag.

Mississippi’s House and Senate voted Sunday to retire the flag adopted in 1894. It's the last state flag that includes a Confederate symbol that many people condemn as racist.

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said he will sign the bill.

The change comes amid widespread protests over racial injustice. Mississippi has a 38% Black population.

A commission would design a new flag that cannot include the Confederate symbol but must have the words “In God We Trust.”

Voters will be asked to approve the new design in the Nov. 3 election.