JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi's capital is the latest place where officials have decided to fly the new state flag ahead of legislative approval in January.
Jackson will fly the flag, which voters approved Nov. 3. It is decorated with a magnolia and the phrase "In God We Trust," replacing a Confederate-themed flag state lawmakers retired months ago as part of the national reckoning over racial injustice.
The state Legislature will formally enact the new flag into law at the start of the 2021 session in January. After that, the flag will be flown at public buildings across the state.
However, many officials across Mississippi have already made the decision to begin flying the new flag ahead of time. The day after the election, the new flag was hoisted outside City Hall in Hattiesburg and on the campus of the University of Mississippi in Oxford.
In a unanimous decision, the Jackson City Council on Tuesday agreed to display the new state flag at City Hall and city-owned properties across the city, The Clarion Ledger reports.
"This is the capital," said Councilman Kenneth Stokes, who requested the city begin flying the flag in an order on the council agenda. "It's the largest city in the state. It just seems like the right step."
Stokes wrote in his order that the council's approval will "evidence the full support of the city of Jackson to the flying of the new state flag."
When the new flag goes up remains unclear. The city's chief administrative officer, Robert Blaine, told the Clarion Ledger he will assess how many flags will be needed in Jackson.