Mississippi House Approves Confederate Flag Bill

Tuesday, January 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) â€” A bill that would ask voters to decide whether to retain the Confederate emblem on the state flag was overwhelmingly approved by the Mississippi House on Tuesday.

The bill, which authorizes an April 17 referendum, is expected to gain passage in the Senate later this week. The House backed it 119-1.

Voters would be given the option of retaining the current flag or replacing the battle emblem with a circle of stars. Many black lawmakers want the current flag changed because they see it as a symbol of slavery and racial oppression.

Gov. Ronnie Musgrove created a commission of business and political leaders to make a recommendation on the flag design after an economic boycott in South Carolina over that state's flying of the Confederate battle flag.