MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The historic bill to remove the Confederate emblem from Mississippi’s state flag made it to Gov. Tate Reeves’ desk on Tuesday afternoon.
Gov. Reeves is set to sign the legislation after Mississippi lawmakers passed it over the weekend.
The bill, which originated in the Mississippi House, is the state’s second attempt at removing the Confederate emblem from the flag.
According to CNN, Mississippians were given then chance to change the flag through a public referendum in 2001 but it failed with 64% of voters voting no.
The bill calls for new state flag design that cannot include the Confederate emlem and must have the words “In God We Trust.” A commission will be formed to come up with a design.
Mississippians will be able to vote on the new design in the Nov. 3 election. If the design is rejected, the commission will set a different design using the same guidelines, and that would be sent to voters later.
At this time, it is not clear who will make up the commission in charge of designing the new flag.
The Associated Press reports the Confederate emblem was added to Mississippi’s flag by white supremacists within the state legislature in the late 1800s as backlash to the African-Americans who gained political power after the Civil War.
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