Mississippi governor signs law to replace current flag with new design

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Tuesday signed legislation to retire the state flag emblazoned with a controversial Confederate symbol.

The flag was the only remaining state banner in the union to still include the Confederate Battle Flag.

The legislation, approved Sunday by signficant majorities in both chambers of the Mississippi legislature, calls for the creation of a new flag. It stipulates that the design cannot contain the Confederate graphic and must include the phrase, "In God We Trust."

"This is not a political moment to me, but a solemn occasion to lead our Mississippi family to come together, to be reconciled and to move on," Reeves said. "We are a resilient people defined by our hospitality. We are a people of great faith. Now more than ever, we must lean on that faith, put our divisions behind us and unite for a greater good."

The move comes as national attention has recently focused on racial issues in the wake of the May 25 death of George Floyd that sparked outrage across the country.

President Trump has publicly opposed the idea of renaming military installations named after Confederate leaders. NASCAR has banned Confederate flags at its events. Many statues and monuments around the country have been removed, defaced, or in some cases, toppled by protestors.