Charlie Worsham Celebrates Mississippi State Flag Change
This is a huge step in the right direction!
While the results of the U.S. Presidential Election continue to be tabulated, voters in the state of Mississippi have elected to officially change the state flag from one that included a version of the Confederate flag, to one that will feature the image of a magnolia. Mississippi native Charlie Worsham took to Instagram to praise the change, saying that the new flag finally represents “all Mississippians.”
“With our nation on pins and needles, I’m gonna take a second to celebrate one victory from yesterday that is historic,” wrote Worsham on Wednesday (11/4). “My home state of Mississippi now has a new state flag. It’s beautiful, and it represents all Mississippians. We can put behind us and begin to heal a too-long time in which the former state flag contained a symbol of hate and exclusion. Very proud of my home state for achieving this milestone. Thanks to governor @tatereeves and all legislators and activists who made this happen.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Charlie Worsham (@charlieworsham) on
On the new flag, the magnolia, which is a symbol of hospitality in the state, is circled by 20 stars, signifying the fact that MS was the 20th state to become part of the United States. The flag also features red, blue and gold stripes as well as the words “In God We Trust” at the bottom.
Worsham came out in support of changing the flag of his home state in June, telling Bobby Bones on his podcast the BobbyCast that the reasoning for his belief was simply rooted in the fact that Mississippi should be a welcome place for all.
“I am proud of my home state. There’s so much to be proud of,” he says. “I’ve got friends from Texas, and they wave that flag proudly, and I want to be able to do the same thing. I want to be able to invite my friends to Mississippi, and for those of them who aren’t white, that flag is a scary thing. Whatever reason someone might have to keep it, to me, it just doesn’t outweigh the fact that it really has been a symbol of hate for a long time.”
Worsham’s stance echoed a similar plea of fellow Mississippi native Faith Hill, who also called for the flag to be changed in June.
“To the Mississippi legislature: It’s time to change the state flag,” Hill wrote on Twitter at the time. “I am a proud [Mississippi] girl and I love my home state. When I think of Mississippi, I think of my mom and dad, the church I grew up in, high school football, and where I fell in love with music.
“Now, it is time for the world to meet the Mississippi of today and not the Mississippi of 1894 (when the MS legislature voted on the current flag),” she continued. “I understand many view the current flag as a symbol of heritage and Southern pride, but we have to realize that this flag is a direct symbol of terror for our black brothers and sisters.”
