Urban League Launches “One Nation, One Flag” Campaign in Support of Effort to Remove Confederate Flag

NEW YORK — The National Urban League and its South Carolina affiliates today launched the “One Nation, One Flag” campaign in support of South Carolina legislators’ efforts to end public displays of the Confederate Flag, and promote unity around the United States Flag.

“It’s a complex process that forms a violently racist heart and compels it to slaughter innocent men and women,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. “But public sanction of the symbols of division and hatred does not create an atmosphere of reconciliation. It’s time for the flag to come down.”

“One Nation, One Flag,” is an effort to have the Confederate flag removed from all public spaces, particularly from the grounds of the South Carolina State Capitol, and to promote the U.S. flag as a symbol of unity, tolerance and justice.  The campaign has adopted the social media hashtag #OneNationOneFlag, as a companion to #TakeItDownSC, and asks supporters to sign the petition at IAmEmpowered.com.

“In the wake of the racism-fueled massacre of nine innocents at Mother Emmanuel, the sight of the Confederate flag is salt in our wounds,” Charleston Trident Urban League President and CEO Otha Meadows said. “Our focus now should be on healing and unity.”

Like other organizations, the Urban League Movement has upheld a convention boycott of South Carolina over the issue of the flag.  Morial and the affiliate CEOs pledged to bring a national meeting to the state after the flag is removed from state capitol grounds.

“The hollow argument that display of the flag carries no racial animosity is belied by the fact that it was raised over the capitol in 1962, in direct response to the Civil Rights Movement and desegregation,” said James T. McLawhorn, Jr., President and CEO of the Columbia Urban League.   McLawhorn, along with other civic and community leaders, has been at the forefront of the movement to remove the flag for the last 15 years. “If we are truly to put those dark days behind us, we must put that flag behind us as well.”

Several South Carolina state legislators have announced their intention to introduce proposals in the next legislative session to remove the Confederate flag from the state house grounds.

“Governor Nikki Haley should call a special session of the legislature to address the flag issue, “ Urban League of the Upstate President and CEO Jil Littlejohn said. “So often in the aftermath of a such a tragedy we feel helpless to respond. But there’s something meaningful and restorative that we can do, and that’s take down the flag.”