Changes: Mississippi

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The former flag of the State of Mississippi was adopted by Mississippi in 1894, replacing the flag that had been adopted in 1861. It was the sole remaining U.S. state flag that bore the Confederate battle flag's saltire, from Georgia's adoption of a new flag in 2003 until the Mississippi flag was officially retired on June 30, 2020. As of July 1, 2020, Mississippi has yet to adopt a new flag.

Historical flags

Prior to 1861, like most states, Mississippi had no state flag. When Mississippi declared its secession from the Union on January 9, 1861 near the start of the American Civil War, spectators in the balcony handed a Bonnie Blue Flag down to the Session Convention delegates on the floor, and one was raised over the capitol building in Jackson as a sign of independence.

Flag of Mississippi (1861-1894) — 1861–1894 flag; official state flag between 1861 and 1865

The first official flag of Mississippi was known as the Magnolia Flag. It was the official flag of the state from 1861 until 1865 and it remained in use as an unofficial flag until 1894, when the current flag was adopted. On January 26 the delegates to the Secession Convention of the newly formed Sovereign Republic of Mississippi approved the report of a special committee that had been appointed to design a coat of arms and “a suitable flag.” The flag recommended by the committee was: “A Flag of white ground, a Magnolia tree in the centre, a blue field in the upper left hand corner with a white star in the centre, the Flag to be finished with a red border and a red fringe at the extremity of the Flag.” Due to time constraints and the pressure to raise “means for the defense of the state” the delegates actually neglected to officially adopt the flag in January, but did so when they reassembled in March.

The Magnolia Flag was not widely used or displayed during the Civil War, as the various Confederate flags were displayed more frequently. The Magnolia Flag remained the official state flag of Mississippi until 1865, when following the conclusion of the Civil War, a constitutional convention assembled in Jackson on August 22 began to revoke and repeal many of the actions taken by the Secession Convention of 1861. Among those repealed was the ordinance adopting a coat of arms and a state flag, leaving Mississippi without an official flag.

On April 17, 2001, a non-binding state referendum to change the flag was put before Mississippi voters. The proposal would have replaced the Confederate battle flag with a blue canton with 20 stars. The outer ring of 13 stars would represent the original Thirteen Colonies, the ring of six stars would represent the six nations that have had sovereignty over Mississippi territory, and the inner and slightly larger star would represent Mississippi itself. The 20 stars would also represent Mississippi's status as the 20th member of the United States. The new flag was soundly defeated in a vote of 64% to 36% and the old flag was retained.

In 2020, after mounting opposition to the state flag due to its inclusion of Confederate symbolism, Mississippi officially retired the flag and the state's governor announced that a new flag without Confederate imagery would be adopted. As of July 1, 2020, the state has yet to adopt a new flag.

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 |NAVA rank=22nd
 |FotW=us-ms
+|caption = Former Flag of Mississippi (2001-2020)}}
-}}
 {{wikipedia|Flag of Mississippi}}
-The flag of the State of Mississippi was adopted by Mississippi in 1894, replacing the flag that had been adopted in 1861. It is the sole remaining U.S. state flag which bears the {{w|Flags of the Confederate States of America|Confederate battle flag's saltire}}, after [[Georgia (USA state)|Georgia]] adopted a new flag in 2003.
+The former flag of the State of Mississippi was adopted by Mississippi in 1894, replacing the flag that had been adopted in 1861. It was the sole remaining U.S. state flag that bore the {{w|Flags of the Confederate States of America|Confederate battle flag's saltire}}, from [[Georgia (USA state)|Georgia]]'s adoption of a new flag in 2003 until the Mississippi flag was officially retired on June 30, 2020. As of July 1, 2020, Mississippi has yet to adopt a new flag.
-On April 17, 2001, a non-binding state referendum to change the flag was put before Mississippi voters. The proposal would have replaced the Confederate battle flag with a blue canton with 20 stars. The outer ring of 13 stars would represent the original Thirteen Colonies, the ring of six stars would represent the six nations that have had sovereignty over Mississippi territory, and the inner and slightly larger star would represent Mississippi itself. The 20 stars would also represent Mississippi's status as the 20th member of the United States. The new flag was soundly defeated in a vote of 64% to 36% and the old flag was retained.
 {{Clear}}
@@ Line 27: / Line 25: @@
 The Magnolia Flag was not widely used or displayed during the Civil War, as the various {{w|Flags of the Confederate States of America|Confederate flags}} were displayed more frequently. The Magnolia Flag remained the official state flag of Mississippi until 1865, when following the conclusion of the Civil War, a constitutional convention assembled in Jackson on August 22 began to revoke and repeal many of the actions taken by the Secession Convention of 1861. Among those repealed was the ordinance adopting a coat of arms and a state flag, leaving Mississippi without an official flag.
+On April 17, 2001, a non-binding state referendum to change the flag was put before Mississippi voters. The proposal would have replaced the Confederate battle flag with a blue canton with 20 stars. The outer ring of 13 stars would represent the original Thirteen Colonies, the ring of six stars would represent the six nations that have had sovereignty over Mississippi territory, and the inner and slightly larger star would represent Mississippi itself. The 20 stars would also represent Mississippi's status as the 20th member of the United States. The new flag was soundly defeated in a vote of 64% to 36% and the old flag was retained.
+In 2020, after mounting opposition to the state flag due to its inclusion of Confederate symbolism, Mississippi officially retired the flag and the state's governor announced that a new flag without Confederate imagery would be adopted. As of July 1, 2020, the state has yet to adopt a new flag.
 ==Proposals for a New Flag of Mississippi==
-<gallery widths="200" bordercolor="#000000">
+<gallery widths="310" bordercolor="#000000" navigation="true">
 Mississippi 2001 flag proposal.svg|2001 proposal (not adopted)
 Mississippi Alternate 2.png|Alternative flag of MS, designer unknown
@@ Line 91: / Line 93: @@
 Mississippi Magnolia 2.png|Another 'Magnolia Flag', this one based upon the current Mississippi flag [Posted by Ken Morton]
 MS 1.jpg|Another proposal for a clean sheet design and another attempt at a break with history and politics. This flag is based upon an excellent design by Chris Sistrunk which I have modified by adding my own Magnolia flower and circle of twenty stars. [Posted by Ken Morton]
-Mississipi.png|Redesign by [[User:Moraisdethiago|Moraisdethiago]], based on "Bonnie Blue flag" and "Magnolia flag". January 2019. ([[User:Moraisdethiago/Flag Proposals/American States#Mississippi|details]])
+Mississipi.png|Redesign by [[User:SimplisticFlags|SimplisticFlags]], based on "Bonnie Blue flag" and "Magnolia flag". January 2019. ([[User:SimplisticFlags/Flag Proposals/American States#Mississippi|details]])
 Mississippi 2.png|Perhaps a rather obvious solution to the 'problem' of the current Mississippi flag. And yet, there is much to be said for simplicity in design. Posted by Ken Morton [June 28, 2019].
 MS_PNG.png|My version of the design by Steven Abbot. The left side of the flag depicts the Mississippi River to the east. The right side of the flag depicts the green land of the state; a magnolia icon represents the state flower of the “Magnolia State.” Posted by Preston Knapp [https://vexillology.fandom.com/wiki/User:Preston_Knapp]
 Mississippi New Flag.png|MS Flag Proposal "apollohawkridge 1"
 Mississippi New Flag 2.png|MS Flag Proposal "apollohawkridge 2"
-Proposal Flag of Mississippi.png|Proposal for a flag for Mississippi. The colors of the old flag are recycled, but the symbols are different: the river mississipi and a branch of mimosa. (I used the stylized mimosa drawing from http://clipart-library.com/clipart/n1171795.htm for that.)
+Proposal Flag of Mississippi.svg|Proposal for a flag for Mississippi. By [[User:Qaz_Janssen|Qaz]] Dec 2019 ([[User:Qaz Janssen/Proposals/Subnational/US-ESE#Mississippi|details]])
+Proposal Flag of Mississippi magnolia.svg|Proposal for a flag for Mississippi. By [[User:Qaz_Janssen|Qaz]] Dec 2019 ([[User:Qaz Janssen/Proposals/Subnational/US-ESE#Mississippi|details]])
+Proposal Flag of Mississippi magnolia2.svg|Proposal for a flag for Mississippi. By [[User:Qaz_Janssen|Qaz]] Dec 2019 ([[User:Qaz Janssen/Proposals/Subnational/US-ESE#Mississippi|details]])
+Mississippi - Blue.png|Part of series of designs for state flags, all in blue and white. (Posted by Ken Morton)
+MS807.png|([[User:Trevor807/Proposals|details]])
+MississippiFlag_04_30_2020.png|"Oxbow Star" 2020
+MississippiFlag_04_31_2020.png|"Magnolia Cross" (Magnolia flag variation) 2020
+D030E9E-116C-40D2-BE5D-BABB8F7437B6.png|Proposed flag for Mississippi - Blue and red bisections with a magnolia signal overlaid.|link=http://fixyourdamnflag.us/
+-02-20 second sketch.png|Follow the description voiced by someone in local seat of xtate government and you get this...
+four stripes.png|maybe four stripes, ratio 3:5,  and a canton that is 1/2 height gives over 15% area to the battle flag rather than 29.6%. Design by RottenAli.
+Mississippi Heritage flag 2.jpg|Proposal for new Mississippi state flag.
+mississippi.JPG|Mississippi State Flag Proposal with official state seal that reads "In God We Trust" by Tucker B
+12101817.png|Hospitality inspired. Blue water river bend. Motto from official state seal. Retains colors of previous flag. JB/CM creation.
 </gallery>
+{{United States}}
 [[Category:Mississippi]]
 [[Category:United States state]]