Confederate Flag Comes Down At South Carolina Capitol After 54 Years

A protester waves a Confederate battle flag in front of the South Carolina statehouse, Thursday, July 9, 2015, in Columbia, S.C. More than 50 years after South Carolina raised a Confederate flag at its Statehouse to ... A protester waves a Confederate battle flag in front of the South Carolina statehouse, Thursday, July 9, 2015, in Columbia, S.C. More than 50 years after South Carolina raised a Confederate flag at its Statehouse to protest the civil rights movement, the rebel banner is scheduled to be removed Friday morning during a ceremony. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) MORE LESS
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The Confederate flag has been removed from a flagpole on the grounds of the South Carolina Statehouse, where it has had a presence for 54 years.

The rebel banner was taken down Friday morning by a Highway Patrol honor guard in a ceremony attended by thousands who cheered at the removal, many yelling “USA, USA” and “Hey, hey, hey, goodbye!”

A van will take the flag to a nearby museum, where it will be housed.


Photo via AP

The reversal seemed unthinkable just a month ago. It comes after the June 17 massacre of nine black parishioners at a Charleston church. A white man is charged, and authorities say the killings were racially motivated. The shootings reignited calls to remove Confederate symbols across the country.


Gov. Nikki Haley signs a bill to remove the flag on Thursday, July 9. (Photo via AP)

The Confederate flag was raised over the Capitol dome in 1961 to protest integration. It was moved in 2000 to a flagpole in front of the Statehouse.

The flagpole, too, will be torn down, but no timetable is set.

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Notable Replies

  1. May I suggest the flagpole remain, but the flag be replaced with a POW/MIA flag, to honor those who fought for their country instead of those who fought against it.

  2. Baby steps.

    But the issue is not just in South Carolina. The entire Bible Belt – and their socially-regressive conservative politico backers – strive to rewrite American history so that the South is regarded as the maligned victim of Northern aggression in the years before, during, and after the Civil War, and slavery is merely a footnote.

    Case in point – the concerted effort in Texas to transform public school textbooks into a medium for pro-Confederacy propaganda.
    U.S. History, as taught in Texas public schools, will have as much authenticity as a comic book wherein the Confederate flag represents “truth, justice, and the American way”.

  3. And not one peep about possible gun regulations that could keep guns out of the hands of killers…not one. Nice job NRA…

  4. BRAVO!!

    Sadly, it took the deaths of 9 church members to get it taken down.

  5. Excellent idea!

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