New Mississippi flag in place of the Confederate flag after the election

The old state flag of Confederate character.

Mississippi will soon get a flag to match its name, as state voters approved a new design in a referendum during Tuesday's election, another step toward replacing the state's old Confederate flag.

According to the Clarion Ledger newspaper, published in Jackson, Mississippi, in the southern US state, the new flag will contain a magnolia tree on a blue, red and gold background.

The flag will not become official until next year, assuming that MPs ratify the result of the referendum and issue a law for this purpose.

The state launched a competition to redesign its flag in July.

A bill to replace the former flag garnered bipartisan support in the Mississippi state legislature after the death of George Floyd - who was strangled to death in May by police, sparking a nationwide outcry about race and police brutality.

The previous flag, which was adopted in 1894, featured a square with the Confederate emblem in the upper left corner.

It was the last state flag in the United States to carry the pro-slavery Confederation logo. The flag's continuing popularity continues to weigh on race relations in America, with its supporters saying it is a mark of their southern heritage, while critics say it is a tacit approval of America's history of racism.

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