Take It Down: Marching Against Mississippi's State Flag
by Courtland Wells
Sunday in Jackson, Mississippi, there was an almost 2 mile Take It Down march and rally. The action was protesting the Mississippi state flag, which has a Confederate Battle Flag in the upper left corner. Protestors carried signs and banners supporting Initiative 55 also known as the Flag for All Mississippians Act, which proposes the removal of the Confederate Battle flag from the Mississippi State flag. The rally was led by Sharon Brown, the woman who organized and got Initiative 55 on the ballot.
At the start of the march people were met by Marshall E Leonard Jr. , a man flying the Confederate battle flag on his vehicle. At the end of the march which ended at the State Capitol they were met with 3 men with Confederate and Mississippi flags. The three men were Craig Haden, Al Roland and again Marshall E Leonard Jr.. Al Roland is quoted saying, “We're here to save Mississippi.
David Banner, rapper and Mississippi native, gave a powerful speech during the rally and took time to meet and talk with every one afterward.
Another guest was South Carolina representative Jenny Horne, the representative that got the Confederate Battle flag to come down in South Carolina.
**All photos were taken by Courtland Wells.
by Chani the Hippie
I have been able to learn about tribes from Africa at Dabl’s African Bead Museum. I have learned the true art of being a b-boy or b-girl with The Foundation. I have seen the art of graffiti, I have marched yelling “Black Lives Matter” in the streets, I have twerked with the black LGBTQIAs at The Woodward. I have learned who I am in the black community and how many layers of blackness are in Detroit