SPLC Action Fund: Miss. Gov. Reeves Must Sign Bill to Remove Confederate Battle Emblem from the State Flag

JACKSON, Miss. — The SPLC Action Fund’s Mississippi Policy Director Brandon Jones released the following statement in response to the passage of HB 1796 by the Mississippi legislature to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag and create a commission to redesign it. It also requires the state to remove the flag from all government buildings within 15 days of the bill being signed into law. Yesterday, the legislature passed House Concurrent Resolution 79 that paved the way for this bill to be introduced. 

“While we are encouraged that the Mississippi legislature passed this bill to remove a symbol that celebrates the Confederacy from our state flag, however this is just one step toward fully removing all Confederate monuments and symbols in the state and across the country. These symbols were put in place to glorify white supremacy and represent ongoing systemic racial barriers that exist in education, healthcare and workforce equity in our country. 

“We appreciate lawmakers who have diligently worked to remove the emblem from the flag, but also want to honor the thousands of young voices who have organized across our state and demanded that our leaders listen.

“Governor Tate Reeves has indicated that he would sign the bill if it passed. Now we call on him to do so immediately."