Mississippi governor signs bill retiring state flag with Confederate emblem

The Mississippi flag.
(Image credit: Rory Doyle/AFP via Getty Images)

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed a bill on Tuesday retiring the state's flag — the last one in the U.S. to feature a Confederate battle emblem.

"This is not a political moment to me but a solemn occasion to lead our Mississippi family to come together, to be reconciled, and to move on," he said in a statement. "We are a resilient people defined by our hospitality. We are a people of great faith. Now, more than ever, we must lean on that faith, put our divisions behind us, and unite for a greater good."

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Reeves had refused to take a position on the flag, The Associated Press reports, saying only that it's up to voters to decide whether or not to adopt a new one. A commission will now work on creating a new flag, and the design will go before voters in November. Under the new law, this flag can't have any Confederate emblems, but must include the words "In God We Trust."

"We are all Mississippians and we must all come together," Reeves said. "What better way to do that than include 'In God We Trust' on our new state banner. The people of Mississippi, Black and white, and young and old, can be proud of a banner that puts our faith front and center. We can unite under it. We can move forward — together."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.