Where You Can Find Confederate Flag Flying in South Carolina

The Confederate flag became a major issue for South Carolina in 2015 following a tragic shooting by a gunman who killed nine African-Americans at a Bible study in Charleston. Demands for the removal of the flag on state capitol grounds in Columbia followed. The Confederate flag, which had been removed in 2000 from the top of the capitol dome, had already been hotly debated over the years.

While protests developed over the state-sponsored flag, many residents carried the flag as a symbol of Southern pride rather than an icon of racism from the Civil War during demonstrations, CNN reported. Longtime residents might view it as a flag their ancestors fought or died for during the conflict. The Confederate flag had been seen flying at various times and events in South Carolina as a way of supporting its display as a part of history.

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Byron Thomas, an African-American senior at the University of South Carolina, showed his pride in the Confederate flag by hanging it in his dorm room window, which creating some controversy, he wrote in a piece for The Washington Post. Once in favor of keeping the Confederate flag on statehouse grounds, he changed his mind following a speech by South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who called for removal of the flag as a sign of unity.

Thomas, however, pointed out he would continue to display the Confederate flag at his apartment. He views the flag as part of his heritage. His ancestor, Benjamin Thomas, was a black Confederate cook. He says displaying the flag honors his ancestor’s service to South Carolina.

Although residents who take pride in the Confederate flag say it doesn’t represent hate but heritage, there are those who have continued to use it as a controversial symbol. Members of the Ku Klux Klan obtained a permit to rally and carry the flag in front of the statehouse in support of it in the wake of protests to have the flag removed from the grounds, Agence France‑Presse reported. They claim they also support the Confederate flag as a part of history and the South’s battle against federal tyranny.

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