Mississippi governor signs bill to remove Confederate imagery from the state flag

• Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill on Tuesday to remove Confederate imagery from the state's flag.
• "Tonight, I am signing the bill to retire the 1894 Mississippi flag and begin the process of selecting a new one—emblazoned with the words 'In God We Trust,'" Reeves wrote on Facebook.
• Reeves' action comes after Mississippi's House and Senate voted on Sunday to retire the state flag and create a new one.
• According to the Associated Press, Mississippi's legislative bodies received bipartisan support to change their state flag — the last in the US to feature the Confederate battle flag.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill on Tuesday to remove Confederate imagery from the state's flag.

In a Facebook livestream on Tuesday, Reeves said it was "not a political moment," but rather a time to "put our divisions behind us."

"Tonight, I am signing the bill to retire the 1894 Mississippi flag and begin the process of selecting a new one—emblazoned with the words 'In God We Trust,'" Reeves wrote in a post alongside the livestream.

"This is not a political moment, it is a solemn occasion to come together as a Mississippi family, reconcile, and move forward together. Now, more than ever, we must lean on our faith, put our divisions behind us, and unite for a greater good."

Reeves' action comes after the Mississippi's House and Senate on Sunday voted to retire the state flag and create a new one, as widespread protests in recent weeks have brought systemic racism to the forefront of the US agenda.

According to Associated Press, Mississippi's legislative bodies received bipartisan support on Sunday afternoon to change their state flag — the last in the country to feature the Confederate battle flag. Voters will be able to approve the new design in this year's election, the AP said.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Reeves said discussions over changing the flag were "deadlocked for days."

"The argument over the 1894 flag has become as divisive as the flag itself and it's time to end it," he wrote.

The removal of the battle flag — a symbol associated with a secessionist army that fought to preserve slavery — from the state flag comes as recent protests have sparked a widespread effort to remove Confederate imagery, including statues of Confederate leaders and Confederate flags.

Mississippi held a referendum in 2001 to change its state flag, though nearly 65% of residents voted to keep the current flag.