SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • OCTOBER 9, 2019 | VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 07
PAYMENT PLAN WOES PG 3
THRIFTED GOLD PG 5
LEFT-HANDED CHALLENGES PG 7
Mississippi state flag redesign sparks debate Caleb McCluskey | Printz
BRIAN WINTERS PHOTO EDITOR n recent years, some Mississippians have wanted a new flag design, while others hold on to the current one. One Mississippi native, Laurin Stennis, designed a flag that has gained support. Stennis, of Jackson, Mississippi, is an artist and the granddaughter of Sen. John C. Stennis. Stennis said she moved back to Mississippi and wanted to fly the state flag outside her home but could not because of the current design. “I began a period of intense reflection and research,” Stennis said. “One of the reasons we had not moved forward
was a lack of an elegant design, which we could all unify around.” Stennis said with her artistic background, she had something to offer as a public service for her state. She researched the basic tenets of good flag design and translated it into her flag. “This flag represents history, hope and hospitality,” Stennis said. “I cannot think of a better way to summarize this special place or its people.” According to the Stennis flag website, the flag’s design captures the history of Mississippi. “The red bars stand in opposition to one another recognizing the passionate differences we sometimes harbor; the red color represents the blood spilled by Mississippians—both civilian and military—who have honorably given their lives in pursuit of liberty and
justice for all,” the website said. The 19 stars surrounding the large star represent Mississippi’s admission as the twentieth state in the Union, and the circular shape is taken from the indigenous people of the region. The centering of the blue star on the white field is an inverted Bonnie Blue, a reference to the state’s secession. Stennis said this is an acknowledgement of Mississippi’s Confederate past without celebrating it. Finally, the white field on which the stars rest represents spirituality and possibility. “Its strong design coupled with its positive spirit has attracted Mississippians across the state from varied backgrounds,” Stennis said. “This flag allows and encourages every Mississippian to bring their story to the table.”
A group of non-partisan citizens called the Stennis Flag Flyers has the goal to promote the Stennis flag as the state flag. The Stennis Flag Flyers reviewed the history of Mississippi state flags. Director of Stennis Flag Flyers Chris Roth said the reviewed flags represented a time of racial and class distinctions. According to Roth, the group’s goal is to promote the flying of the flag through a nonpartisan grassroots initiative. “With enough support throughout the state, we hope local and state officials will see this as a referendum for change,” Roth said.
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