Mitchell has meticulously researched and written an incredibly valuable examination of mississippis bewitching historywarts and all. The most distinctive region in the states varied topography is the mississippi delta, a flat alluvial plain between the mississippi and the yazoo rivers in the western part of the state. First settled by the french in 1716, natchez is the oldest permanent settlement on the mississippi river. Court rejects lawsuit against mississippi state flags. This flag has a replica of the confederate battle flag in the canton corner, although the language of the act creating the flag does not say so. The 1906 repeal of the law establishing a state flag completely escaped the notice of dunbar rowland, the director of the mississippi department of archives and history, and editor of the official and statistical register of the state of mississippi. A wide belt of longleaf yellow pine the piney woods covers most of southern mississippi to within a few miles of the coastalplain grasslands. Vice news and kal penn travel to the magnolia state for a. Cities that served as the capital at one time or another include natchez, washington, columbia, and, of course, jackson. Oct 17, 2015 the mississippi supreme court ruled in 2000 that the flag, while widely used, had not been enshrined in state law since code books were updated in 1906. Coskis history, the confederate battle flag, brings some needed. On the recent flag vote, no mention that 40% of blacks voted to keep the old flag. A committee came up with the flag which prominently featured the. Newton knight and the legend of the free state of jones.
The flag of mississippi is the state flag of the u. Flags that have flown over the state of mississippi mississippi has a long history going back to the mississippian culture that developed along the mississippi river and its tributaries about 950 ce. Jun 23, 2015 mississippi has had these conversations before. Flags that have flown over the state of mississippi. Mississippi state flag confederate canton divides residents. The war of mississippi state flag 1105 words 5 pages.
The holdings of the archives comprise more than 60,000 cubic feet of recordsincluding government documents, bound volumes, maps and drawings, photographs, oral histories, and video and audio tapes. The name of the state derives from the mississippi river. The 20 stars represent mississippis entry into the union as the 20th state. Sentiments regarding the state flag are the same today as they were 16 years ago when mississippi voters cast ballots in a.
The state flag of mississipi has a square union canton in the upper left and three horizontal bars of blue, white, and red the same shades as the national colors of the united states. It shows through the thickness of my southern drawl, the rhythm when i shake up chicken pieces in some flour to drop in hot crisco, and the sweet sounds of mel waiters hole in the wall playing in the background. Failure to change mississippis flag will signify that mississippi continues to ignore that the introduction of the current flag in 1894 was a. These people built giant pyramidlike mounds and complex settlements, but they had mostly disappeared before european. In 2000, after the states supreme court found the flag was inadvertently repealed by a. The university of mississippis decision to remove the state flag which depicts the confederate battle emblem from its campus in. The most recent current state flag is that of utah february 16, 2011, while the most recent current territorial flag is that of the northern mariana islands july 1, 1985. The small southern county that seceded from the confederacy new york. Apr 06, 2012 flag of the 18th mississippi infantry. Prior to becomming a state representative, he held the office of justice of the peace in adams co. The stars on the flag represent to the original number of the. Confederate captain wirt thomson reported to secretary of war james seddon that the united states flag had been raised over the courthouse in ellisville. The 5th circuit court of appeals has dismissed the suit. Sep 18, 2019 the mississippi state flag flies neither at the university of southern mississippi nor since november 2016 at any of the magnolia states other eight public institutions of higher learning.
Jan 20, 2019 the 20 stars represent mississippis entry into the union as the 20th state. A brief history of the confederate flags mississippi. A group of sixtyfour notable mississippians signed a letter its time for mississippi to fly a flag for all its people that was published. This also meant that books covering only state history tended to have a local. The mississippi state flag flies neither at the university of southern mississippi nor since november 2016 at any of the magnolia states. Mar 08, 2016 mississippi state flag flying in front of state capitol in jackson, mississippi. Mississippians voted to keep the flag in a 2001 statewide election. Oct 26, 2015 the university of mississippis decision to remove the state flag which depicts the confederate battle emblem from its campus in oxford has once more put a spotlight on the nationwide. Apr 10, 2019 the magnolia flag was mississippi s first official state flag when it joined the confederacy in 1861. A new state flag for mississippis third century jackson. There are always those who, either through lack of knowledge of history or through misunderstanding history. Mississippi drivers can put flag minus rebel x on license. As the agricultural and mechanical college of the state of mississippione of the national landgrant entities created by congress through the 1862 morrill actit was established february 28, 1878. Mississippi state flag flying in front of state capitol in jackson, mississippi.
Mississippi views havent changed much since vote in 2001. With asb voting to remove the mississippi state flag, samantha mayhew and emry hayes take a look at the history behind this controversial symbol. History of the flags of the united states wikipedia. Mississippis longest civil war victoria bynum traces the origins and legacy of the jones county uprising from the american revolution to. Childrens books can be used to teach history and geography lessons about mississippi. Some people think it is racist, and downright full of hate.
Part of what is today the state of mississippi was included in the west florida republic, which was proclaimed in 1810 by american settlers in opposition to spanish rule. It is a trending topic right now and is arguably one of the most controversial flags in the united states. The register, which is published every four years, is now edited by the secretary of state and. The history of mississippis state flag mississippi history now. The university history mississippi state university. The strength of mitchells work is that he provides context, continuity, and perspective in chronicling the states past and linking that past to our shared future.
The history of the state flag of mississippi includes the states secession from the union, reconstruction, and a vote in the 21st century to change the old design. From mississippi to georgia to south carolina to alabama and well beyond. Hardy of raleigh, who later founded hattiesburg, mississippi, pleaded with governor charles clark to act against the hundreds of men who had confederated in jones county. Mississippi did not officially adopt a state flag until 1861, when it seceded from. Apr 03, 2017 a black mississippi resident sued the state, saying the use of the confederate battle flag amounted to state sanctioned racial discrimination. Flags page 2 mississippi department of archives and history. The mississippi flag was formally adopted on april 23, 1894. Coskis book will speak to the flags opponents as well as its defenders, but. From the time mississippi was just a territory until it became a state, the capital city was changed numerous times. Battle flags of texans in the confederacy by alan k. Mississippi unit of study learning games, printables.
The six coast counties came under the bonnie blue flag in 1810 when spanish west florida revolted and set up the independent republic of west florida, which lasted officially for seventyfour days before it became a part of the united states. The catalog is searchable online, and some collections are accessible through the digital archives. Sally jenkins and john stauffer, the state of jones. The confederate battle flag and its inclusion within the design of mississippis state flag was an effort to unify white political, economic, and social divisions in the state, at a time when political schisms threatened to destroy the democratic coalition that prevailed in mississippi during 1875 and effectively ended reconstruction in the state.
The battle flag in the corner of the mississippi state flag is a symbol that honors the. Their flag had a blue background with a single white star in the centre. Heres a history of mississippi and confederate flags. The history of the state of mississippi 553 words bartleby. Apr 17, 2019 mississippians voted to keep the flag in a 2001 statewide election. The most distinctive region in the state s varied topography is the mississippi delta, a flat alluvial plain between the mississippi and the yazoo rivers in the western part of the state. List of books and articles about mississippi history online. Mississippi became the 20th state of the union in 1817. A black mississippi resident sued the state, saying the use of the confederate battle flag amounted to statesanctioned racial discrimination. Sep 25, 2015 mississippis state flag is the last in the us containing the confederate battle flag. Hence is formally, william washington hence of jefferson co. Collections mississippi department of archives and history. There are always those who, either through lack of knowledge of.
On february 23, 1894, the pascagoula democratstar, in its state news boiled down section, listed news from across the state alerting readers to items like public resignations and appointments, legislative actions, warnings of floods, and new businesses. The mississippi state legislature adopted the presentday state flag in february 1894, replacing the magnolia flag. A very candid, frank, eyepopping perspective of the history and current. Between late 1863 and mid1864, an armed band of confederat. Other usa symbols, geography and history lessons learn about all 50 states their capitals, symbols, facts, abbreviations, state flowers. It consists of three equal horizontal tribands of blue, white, and red, with a red square in the. Evidence of their cultures has been found largely through archeological excavations, as well as existing remains of earthwork mounds built thousands of years ago. The official state flag of mississippi was adopted in 1894, replacing the older magnolia flag. Voters in mississippi chose to retain 107yearold state flag with confederate battle cross, with 65 percent favoring it and 35 percent favoring. Its name derives from a native american word meaning great waters or father of waters, which it shares with the mississippi river, the longest river in the country. What is the history of the state flag of mississippi. Flags that have flown over mississippi pledge to the mississippi state flag i salute the flag of mississippi and the sovereign state for which it stands with pride in.
For example, both mississippi and texas actively partnered with the udc and ucv to choose textbooks. Hervey campaigned against the removal of the confederate symbol in the mississippi state flag. He treats reconstruction as an idyllic period and radical republicans as saints and no mention of carpetbaggers or scalawags or the disenfranchisement of many whites during that period nor the election of in some cases puppet illiterate blacks. Copies of most materials can be purchased for a nominal fee. The history of mississippis state flag mississippi. However, several mississippi cities and counties and all eight of the states public universities have stopped flying it in recent years amid criticism that the battle emblem is a racist reminder of slavery and segregation. A committee came up with the flag which prominently featured the state tree. Vice news and kal penn travel to the magnolia state for a lesson on race relations, barbecue, and the. Flag of mississippi united states state flag britannica. Mississippi didnt have a flag on record until it seceded from the union in 1861 and created one to represent the new sovereign nation of mississippi. Dec 16, 2015 failure to change mississippi s flag will signify that mississippi continues to ignore that the introduction of the current flag in 1894 was a contemporaneous and integral part of this state s. Oct 21, 2015 with asb voting to remove the mississippi state flag, samantha mayhew and emry hayes take a look at the history behind this controversial symbol.
Mitchell has meticulously researched and written an incredibly valuable examination of mississippi s bewitching history warts and all. The strength of mitchells work is that he provides context, continuity, and perspective in chronicling the state s past and linking that past to our shared future. Mississippis state flag is the last in the us containing the confederate battle flag. The magnolia flag was mississippis first official state flag when it joined the confederacy in 1861. But most people in the state of mississippi think it is just a flag and it is a part of the states history. It is unlikely that this flag, known as the british union flag, which was adopted in 1606 following the peaceful union of england and scotland, ever flew over mississippi, but it was technically the flag of dominion over that vast territory and has a place in the history of the flags over mississippi. The mississippi supreme court ruled in 2000 that the flag, while widely used, had not been enshrined in state law since code books were updated in 1906. Flags that have flown over mississippi pledge to the mississippi state flag i salute the flag of mississippi and the sovereign state for which it stands with pride in her history and achievements and with confidence in her future under the guidance of almighty god. The state of mississippi joined the united states union in december 10, 1817 as the 20th state. Since, mississippi has maintained the same flag for the last 126 years the mississippi flag was voted 15th best out of 51 flags ranked by the north american vexillological association.
It consists of three equal horizontal tribands of blue, white, and red, with a red square in the canton referred to specifically as the union bearing a blue saltire, bordered with white and emblazoned with thirteen small, white, fivepointed stars. The six southern states of south carolina, mississippi, georgia, alabama, louisiana, and florida met february 4, 1861, in convention at montgomery, alabama, and established the confederate states of america. Mississippi s longest civil war victoria bynum traces the origins and legacy of the jones county uprising from the american revolution to the modern civil rights movement. The history of the state of mississippi extends to thousands of years of indigenous peoples. In 2000, after the state s supreme court found the flag was inadvertently repealed by a technicality in 1906, the governor appointed a 17member. Confederate battle flags in the collection of the old state house, a museum of arkansas history. Mississippi flag retains confederate emblem despite calls for. Mississippi joined the union as the 20th state in 1817 and gets its name from the mississippi river, which forms its western border. Why i wave the confederate flag, written by a black man.