History of the Confederate flag in South Carolina

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley yesterday signed into law a bill to retire the Confederate flag from the grounds of the state capitol.

President Obama took to Twitter to celebrate the move. They maintain it’s not the symbol of racism brandished by the man responsible for a hate crime. The statue was spray-painted with that phrase, but without punctuation.

The same statue had been spray-painted June 21 with the phrase, “Black Lives Matter”.

Between 1861-5, eleven southern USA states formed the Confederacy in an attempt to secede from the United States.

“The removal of the Confederate Flag now means that South Carolina can bid to host future NCAA championships”. The incident pushed forward the debate over the flag on the Statehouse grounds. And in light of the tragic massacre at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and the nine South Carolinians who were victims of a disgusting racist massacre, we’re keeping all of that in our minds.

Organizers didn’t give out details of what will happen Friday, but said the removal will be short, simple and dignified.

Two troopers rolled the flag and tied it up with a string and handed it to a black trooper who brought it to the Statehouse steps and handed it to a state archivist. They handed it a third trooper. An officer then presented it to a state archivist.

Authorities say they believe the killings were racially motivated. The pride of confederate soldiers runs through their veins more than a century after the Civil War.

On Thursday, an ebullient Beasley, who had returned to Columbia for the bill signing, told POLITICO, “Love transcends division”.

The Confederate battle flag had flown at the Capitol for more the five decades after being raised to honor the 100-year anniversary of the Civil War, which started at Fort Sumter in Charleston.

The crowd chanted “USA” and “hey, hey, hey, goodbye” as the flag was swiftly lowered by an honor guard of South Carolina troopers during a 6-minute ceremony.

“I know there have been a lot of different meanings for that flag”.

“And removing this flag from out front is not going to do anything to change this nation”. Now, even that flagpole will be torn down.

“Truly, I can truly say now that this is a great day in the state of South Carolina”.

Maria Calef celebrates the removal of the rebel banner. “It was such a moving moment to see that flag come down”.

“Because every time that the flag has come up, it has been used – and it has been – to assert this sort of racial superiority of whites against blacks, to stop, to end their civil rights”.

The group is standing near the flag with their hands behind their backs. It remained there to represent official opposition to the civil rights movement.

The hundreds who gathered to watch and cheer were joined by dozens people carrying Confederate flags, but the ceremony was a peaceful affair of competing demonstrations. “And it is important to those who’s ancestors fought during the war”, Roberson said.

“I have also joined my colleagues in a new effort to remove the Confederate battle flag from places in the U.S. Capitol”, she wrote.

Friday morning the Hyde Park barber, along with some of his clients, witnessed American history as the Confederate Flag was removed from South Carolina’s statehouse where it flew for 54 years.

The flag will be taken down Friday during at 10 a.m. ceremony.