The Mississippi Economic Council unveiled the banner in October. It is currently being flown, or is planned to fly, in many locations. * This week, the Tupelo City Council unanimously voted to fly the bicentennial flag instead of the state banner in front of its new police headquarters which will open later in the month. * The University of Mississippi will display the bicentennial banner at its Oxford campus, starting Dec. 9, 2016, and ending Dec. 10, 2017, which is the official bicentennial date. After lowering the state flag in November, Delta State University will be flying the bicentennial banner in its main entrance in Cleveland. The banner is being displayed at several Mississippi branch locations by BancorpSouth, Tupelo. House Speaker Philip Gunn stated that this clearly shows there is a growing desire among Mississippians and entities for other options to the current state flag. “The same feelings I feel today are reflected in the statement I made earlier.” I want to find a solution for all Mississippians. Mississippi’s state emblem is the only one in the country that displays the Confederate battle banner. The state seal is displayed on the bicentennial banner, which has three horizontal bars of red, white, and blue bars. On the left side of this flag, you will see “Established 1817” while on the right, it says “2017 Bicentennial”. Mississippi is the last state to have the Confederate battle banner in an official capacity. Council members unanimously voted to fly the bicentennial banner from the new police headquarters in Tupelo. Some council members opposed the idea of the current state flag being flown. Nettie Davis, Tupelo Councilwoman, stated that she doesn’t believe she can support the current state flag being flown in Tupelo. “It is divisive to me as an individual and insulting.” “It doesn’t represent all the people in this state or community.” Ole Miss took the state flag off campus in 2015. This was after students led a campaign which saw the university administration sponsor the removal of the flag and placing the flag in university archives. Jon Scott, a university spokesperson, said that the university will fly the bicentennial banner to mark the anniversary of state entry into the union. He also said that the university will host events to celebrate the bicentennial. BancorpSouth, a publicly traded regional bank that has 239 branches in Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri. Tennessee, Tennessee, Texas and Louisiana, is the first to lower the state flag. It is a $14 billion publically traded regional bank. Randy Burchfield, a company spokesperson, said that the bank will fly the bicentennial banner this week at several branch locations throughout the state. Burchfield stated that the bank is flying the bicentennial banner of the state in celebration of the 200th anniversary of statehood. MEC President Blake Wilson made it clear that the banner was a banner and not a flag when it was unveiled. But he later told Mississippi Today that the banner could spark conversations about alternative flags to the current one. Wilson asked, “You have a brand that disenfranchises 37% of your population (who is African Americans), so why would that brand be used?” Wilson said, “It’s not an identity that unites people.” Wilson continued: “We are not suggesting or pushing this flag as an alternative. We are merely suggesting that this could be a way for one banner to be celebrated. We’ll see what people say about where it goes from there, how that stimulates discussion, and what that helps attract to. After his speech at July’s Neshoba County fair, Phil Bryant first spoke to Mississippi Today about the bicentennial banner. Bryant suggested that the banner could be flown above the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, which is set to open in 2017. Bryant stated in July that people will begin to adjust to the banner after it is unveiled. It’s a banner so state agencies and city halls can fly it. Bryant’s office didn’t respond to questions about this week’s banner’s acceptance. Mississippi Today asked Lt. Governor. Mississippi Today asked Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves if he saw the banner flying at state agencies alongside the state flag. Tate Reeves has stated that Mississippi voters should decide whether the state flag should be changed. Reeves spokeswoman Laura Hipp stated that she was unaware of any discussions between state leaders regarding banners flying on state property. “Obviously, we would need to investigate the legal implications of state agencies flying banners made by nonprofit entities but it seems like an slippery slope.” Mississippians, politicians, and business leaders have been debating the merits the current state flag for over 15 years. A ballot initiative sponsored in 2001 by the Mississippi Economic Council led a bitter campaign. Mississippians voted nearly 2-to-1 to preserve the current state flag. Since then, politics surrounding Confederate battle flags have changed – most notably when nine people were killed in an attack on a South Carolina church by a gunman. The flag was closely associated with the shooter. South Carolina and Alabama responded by permanently lowering the Confederate battle banner, which was being flown on state property in official capacities. After Gunn’s public statement that the state should change its flag, it was widely believed that the key issue in the 2016 legislative session was how to handle the Mississippi flag. The session saw 19 bills dealing with the flag die in committee, before they made it to the floor for votes. This issue will likely be re-examined in the 2017 regular session that begins January 3. The bicentennial banner is flying. Email us at info@mississippitoday.org. To support this work, you can make a regular donation to us today as part of the Spring Member Drive. This will allow us to continue important work such as this story. Our reporters give a human face to policy’s impact on everyday Mississippians by listening more closely and understanding their communities. To ensure that our work is aligned with the priorities and needs of Mississippians, we are listening to you. Click the button below to let us know what you think. Republish this Story You can freely republish our articles online or in print under a Creative Commons licence. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Mississippi Today, Adam Ganucheau
December 1, 2016, Adam Ganucheau is Mississippi Today’s editor in chief. He oversees the newsroom with the editorial staff to achieve our mission of producing journalism that is both high-quality and public-interest. Since February 2016, Adam Ganucheau has been covering politics and state government at Mississippi Today. A native of Hazlehurst, Adam has worked as a staff reporter for AL.com, The Birmingham News and The Clarion-Ledger and his work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Adam received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Mississippi. The Bicentennial Banner represents all Mississippians better than the current design. While I respect the ancestors of all people, the confederate battle banner has no place in the state. I also don’t want a clinched black fist on my state flag. All black Mississippians deserve is the same respect and consideration as everyone else. I believe that keeping confederate iconography out of the flames of controversy is the best way of protecting it. One thing that unites conflicts over confederate symbol use is their placement in public spaces. This could be in a position of power, such as our state flag, or in public spaces where it could be considered to represent everyone. It is important to find a respectful middle way so that those who support these symbols don’t get accused of being bigots and those who object aren’t insulted. This is where leadership comes in and it is not coming from Phil Bryant, Tate Reeves or any other member of the legislature. Even worse, some groups such as the SCV attack anyone who wishes to change the flag. Others on the opposing side believe that everyone who displays the battle banner is a Klansman. This must stop! Both sides are pushing back too much and there is not enough open dialogue. It is reasonable to ask that the flag be changed. This isn’t an insult to the confederate heritage. It is reasonable to preserve confederate monuments, and place them in historical context. Some white Mississippians believe their confederate ancestors matter to them. I respect this view. As they knew their duty, these men bravely served the confederacy. These men were the best of their generation and deserve to be treated with the respect due them. I don’t want to denigrate anyone’s heritage, discredit their legacy or make slander of their ancestors. I hope that people will believe me. The current state flag does not represent everyone in Mississippi. My view on confederate iconography is different from that of many white Mississippians. It is also different because I am black. This view is a result of a different experience. They should respect my family history and experience, which is as real as mine. I only wish to see a flag that represents everyone. I support everyone’s right to display and use the confederate flag as they see fit.
As Mississippians, I hope that we can all find a way through this issue together. Although it may not be comfortable or easy for us both, I believe we can find a solution if people from both sides of this issue are able to respect and understand the views and positions of the other. Although you may be kind words, you are just as full of — than your more extreme black-coddling leftists. Are you a respecter of the electoral process? Although I’m sure that you didn’t vote for Trump, do you still support him as president? You must respect Mississippi’s flag, as it was approved by a 2-1 margin. If you don’t, that is what I expect of the left-someone who disrespects the will and will of the people. In the same way that some southerners respect the election of 1806. Otis, do you mean that supporters of a new flag for the state were forced to flee their homes and a economic embargo was imposed on them? It’s more like a group slave-holding aristocrats who didn’t like the results of the presidential election in 1860. You just compared the proponents for a new flag with slave-holding aristocrats. Ok. Interesting argument. Again, should the proponents for a new flag be burned to the ground as they were against popular opinion? You can save yourself from the straw-man hyperbole by carefully reading my post. I did not mention new flag supporters. The south’s planters who benefited most from chattel slavery rejected 1860’s outcome and sought disunion. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1860 Lincoln won 39.8% of the popular vote. This means that the other candidates won 60.2%. Regionally, the election was as polarized as possible. In several Southern states, Lincoln wasn’t even on the ballot. This sounds like Oiis’s will to the people. What kind of name is this for a negro? Lincoln won. It’s okay. You can’t understand what he was saying about the popular vote. You don’t understand history. Although you seem to be able to recall facts, you don’t understand the history behind them. BTW, John Lee Jones is my real name. I’m not’skeered’, whatever ghetto slang it may be. George Lincoln Rockwell and Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela and John C. Calhoun are my real names. John Lee Jones is also mine. Whatever! Bigots tend to be cowards and not very intelligent. I can see you’re no different. You have the right to speak your mind. It’s not healthy for your ego to be embarrassed about a black man. You are blessed! You are so arrogant. It’s possible. You can’t. Hate is not something you can do. Too hateful to see this though. You hate all things White, and you hate the White race. Your side is all about complaining about how Whites treated you, but you want to be part of the global community. Next time you feel like calling someone a hateful person, take a look at yourself in the mirror. I don’t hate anyone. Please see my original post. You insult people and use bigoted language. You are the only person I have insulted. You deserve it, and more than I have done to you. I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I do not know the fake names. I have only used my real name to post. I asked you to prove it and you refused. This is yet another sign that you are a typical liberal spoiled crybaby liberal negro. Your diversion will not change the fact that you want to subvert politics and ignore the 2-1 vote by the people to keep Mississippi State Flag with Confederate Battle Flag. You would be screaming about it as a reason for changing the flag if it had been 2-1 in your favor. You can vote against the vote of people in any way you like. You should just admit it. It is obvious that you are incapable of having a civil and intelligent conversation with me. I have better things than to entertain someone like you. Have a great one. The anti-White hateful racist who wants to get rid of his state’s pro-White heritage says BLAH BLA BLAH. He got his widdle feelings hurt again. Wah wah wah. Wah wah wah. Riots, assassination threats and encouraging rape towards his wife, vandalizing private and public property, assaulting White Trump supporters and blocking traffic, initiating ridiculous recounts which are a waste money and time and change absolutely nothing and, most importantly to our discussion, Otis states like California openly discussing SECESSION since the vote didn’t go their way. Sir negro I could go on but I believe I have made my point. You don’t need to hide behind fake names. You “skeerd”? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooks_Brothers_riot A few disgruntled people in California “talking” about secession (as ridiculous as it sounds) is a far cry from slave owners who actually did it in 1860. It didn’t work first time. Be blessed that you have a good one. You must be on crack. He was referring to how your friends, who are so dear to you, disrespect the political process by their anti-Trump temper tantrums, as well as your hyperbole regarding non-binding referendums. You would probably yell at your fellow Americans if you voted 2-1 in favor of the Mississippi flag in 2001. You have no respect for people, especially Whites. How insightful can you be to see that secession is not possible? Have you heard of Reconquista? Mexifornia’s majority are the mestizos. With the continued invading of mestizos, the Southwest is being targeted for a return to Mexico. It is more than just a few disgruntled people talking secession. It is a horrible rage. In your opinion, trying to disintegrate the country after the election of 1861 in a failed attempt to protect chattel slave is not “disrespecting political process”. I am not laughing with, but I am laughing at you.