Legislators vote to change flag

By Steve Swogetinsky

The Kemper Messenger

State Sen. Sampson Jackson II said he never thought he would see the day when the Mississippi Legislature would vote to change the state flag.

But it happened Sunday afternoon. The state House of Representatives voted 91-23 to immediately take down the state flag which bore the Confederate banner on its top left hand corner. The Senate voted 37-14 in favor.

“My son asked me if I ever thought I would see us change the flag? I said ‘no,’” said Jackson, who has served in the legislature for 28 years. “I didn’t think we would ever pass it. But things just kind of came together. The time was right. We had bi-partisan support. People made some tough votes. That’s what we are here for, to make tough votes.”

State Rep. Michael Ted Evans, an Independent who represents parts of Neshoba and Kemper counties, also voted yes.

Gov, Tate Reeves has said he will sign the legislation into law this week.

“This was history and I was proud to be a part of it,” Jackson said. “I was very pleased. This is huge for the state of Mississippi. It will help our economic growth. Also, I hope it will bring people together so we can move forward.

“It is tremendous, and I feel like it’s a first step. But you have to take the first step before you can move forward. There are other steps we need to make but I think we accomplished the most important one on Sunday.”

Representative Evans, an independent who represents House District 45, said he felt the majority of the people he represents wanted to see a change.

“I felt it was time we should put that issue to rest,” Evans said. “Now, let’s try to come together under a new flag. Let’s do some positive things for Mississippi.”

Evans said it was an emotional moment in the state capitol building.

“I voted like I thought the majority of people in my district would want, and I voted yes because I thought it was right,” Evans said. “It was one of the biggest votes that has happened in Mississippi’s history.

“What got me was watching some of my colleagues, how emotional they were after the vote. They had been fighting for years and years to get that flag taken down. When they finally got it, it was something to see how excited they were.”

The flag issue has been discussed for years but interest intensified recently following the death of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Floyd’s death sparked protests across the nation and here in Mississippi. Supporters of changing the flag knew this was their was chance.

During the past week, business leaders and organizations, athletic conferences, the state’s college coaches and others publicly called for change.

House speaker Phillip Gunn has long been in favor of changing the flag, and Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann got on board.

The House and Senate voted to suspend their rules to consider a new bill this late in the session. The bill made it to the floors of both houses Sunday and went to a vote.

The legislation called for the state flag to be immediately taken down. It calls for a nine-member commission to be formed with the governor, the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house each naming three members. Voters will be able to vote on the new flag in the November 3 general elections.

The Legislature is expected to adjourn it 2020 session later this week.