Modern display of the Confederate battle flag

Most common modern variation, based on the Second Confederate Navy Jack and the battle flag of the army of Tennessee
Square variation, based on the battle flag of the army of Northern Virginia

Although the Confederate States of America dissolved at the end of the American Civil War (1861–1865), its battle flag continues to be displayed as a symbol. The modern display began during the 1948 United States presidential election when it was used by the Dixiecrats, southern Democrats who opposed civil rights for African Americans.[1][2] Further display of the flag was a response to the civil rights movement and the passage of federal civil rights laws in the 1950s and 1960s.[3]

The display of flags associated with the Confederacy is controversial. Supporters associate the Confederate battle flag with pride in Southern heritage, states' rights, and historical commemoration of the Civil War, while opponents associate it with glorification of the Civil War and celebrating the Lost Cause, racism, slavery, segregation, white supremacy, historical negationism, and treason.[4][5][6][7] Incidents such as the Charleston church shooting, the Unite the Right rally, and the murder of George Floyd led to public official display of the flag being mostly retired in the United States, but not abroad.

  1. ^ Ogorzalek, Thomas; Piston, Spencer; Strother, Logan (2017). "Pride or Prejudice?: Racial Prejudice, Southern Heritage, and White Support for the Confederate Battle Flag". Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race. 14 (1): 295–323. doi:10.1017/S1742058X17000017. ISSN 1742-058X.
  2. ^ Strother, Logan; Ogorzalek, Thomas; Piston, Spencer (June 12, 2017). "The Confederate flag largely disappeared after the Civil War. The fight against civil rights brought it back". The Washington Post.
  3. ^ Little, Becky (June 26, 2015). "Why the Confederate Flag Made a 20th Century Comeback". National Geographic. Archived from the original on August 15, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2021. The popularity of the Confederate battle flag today has more to do with the Civil Rights Movement than the Civil War.
  4. ^ Kaufman, Scott Eric (July 9, 2015). "What tradition does the Confederate flag represent? Is it slavery, rape, genocide, treason, or all of the above?". Salon. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  5. ^ Coates, Ta-Nehisi (June 22, 2015). "What This Cruel War Was Over". The Atlantic.
  6. ^ "Confederate Flag". Anti-Defamation League. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  7. ^ McWhorter, Diane (April 3, 2005). "'The Confederate Battle Flag': Clashing Symbols". The New York Times. Retrieved January 7, 2021. . . .icon widely seen as the badge of white supremacy.