Hate isn’t the same as heritage. Some people believe that the Confederate flag is harmless and that students should be able to wear and have things as they please. The Confederate flag could be extremely offensive in many ways to surrounding students. Students that are African American could be uncomfortable or feel unsafe around people owning something or wearing clothing that displays the flag. This being because of the racist history behind the flag.

The History Behind the Flag

The Confederate flag was first used in 1861 when 11 states seceded from the nation. Abraham Lincoln expressed that he thought slavery shouldn’t be extended into new territories in the west. Slave owners in the south were scared that Lincoln would try to outlaw slavery in the south next. Because of this fear, the south rebelled against the nation and tried to create their own country called the Confederate States of America. They used the confederate flag as their official flag. Because of this rebellion, a Civil War occurred, which led to the abolishment of slavery. Although slavery was outlawed, racism still continued to be an issue throughout the United States.

The Ku Klux Klan (otherwise known as the K.K.K) eventually started using the Confederate flag as well, although they didn’t adopt it as their official flag. The K.K.K was a white supremacist hate group whose primary targets were African Americans. In the 1940s, the Dixiecrats adopted the flag as their party’s emblem. The Dixiecrats were known for being against civil rights for people of color. By this point, the flag was clearly associated with racist opposition to civil rights.

The Affect This Flag Could Have on Students