Less than a week after the Charleston church shooting, protests calling for the removal of the Confederate flag and other symbols of the Confederacy have gone beyond South Carolina and spread into other states.
In South Carolina, the legislature has voted to debate the removal of the Confederate flag from the State House.
The historic military academy Citadel in Charleston will remove the Confederate Naval Jack from the chapel after the board voted 9 to 3 in favor of the removal. One of the casualties of the church shooting was a Citadel graduate, according to The New York Times.
Mississippi lawmakers plan to remove the Confederate battle cross from the state flag, where the symbol lies on its upper left corner. Mississippi's state flag is the only one flag in the U.S. that still displays the symbol.
"As a Christian, I believe our state's flag has become a point of offense that needs to be removed," said House Speaker Philip Gunn, according to The Clarion Ledger. Gunn emphasized that while it is important to remember history, it must not define the state's identity.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said on Tuesday that license plates that carry the Confederate flag, particularly those for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, will no longer be allowed in the state. Georgia is expected to follow suit, according to Reuters.
Maryland, Tennessee and North Carolina are also working to remove the Confederate flag on their license plates, according to The New York Times.
Political leaders in Tennessee are also considering the removal of the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust from the State House. Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army and a leader of the Ku Klux Klan.
Giant retailers, such as Walmart, Etsy, Amazon, Google Shopping, eBay and Sears have also joined the Confederate flag protest by pulling all merchandise that has the symbol.
The Confederate flag is viewed by many as a historic symbol of pride for the southern states during the Civil War, while others see it as a symbol of slavery and racism.
