Flaggers (movement) facts for kids
Flaggers are groups of people in the Southern United States who want to keep the Confederate battle flag visible. They are sometimes called neo-Confederate groups because they support ideas similar to those of the Confederacy from the American Civil War.
These groups often work at the state level. Their main goal is to show the Confederate battle flag as much as possible. They carry the flag at public events and put it up on private land. These flags can often be seen from major roads. This sometimes causes strong disagreements and legal efforts to have them taken down.
People in these groups also speak out against removing Confederate monuments and memorials. They might also support the idea that states have the right to leave the United States. This means they believe the Confederacy was a lawful government.
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How the Flagger Movement Started
The idea of "flaggers" first appeared in Georgia in 2001. At that time, it was not an organized group. The first known organized group, the Virginia Flaggers, was formed later in 2011.
Georgia's Flag Change
The state flag of Georgia from 1956 to 2001 included the Confederate battle flag. Some civil rights groups wanted this flag changed. They even threatened to stop doing business in Georgia if it wasn't.
Because of this pressure, the governor at the time, Roy Barnes, quickly changed the flag in 2001. The new flag was designed very fast. Many people, even those who supported the change, thought it looked bad. It included the 1956 flag and four other old Georgia flags. The North American Vexillological Association even called it the worst-designed state flag in the country.
Public Reaction to the New Flag
Many people were against this new flag, which they called the "Barnes flag." Governor Barnes himself said that this flag change led to him losing his re-election two years later. The flag was a very important topic in that election.
In 2004, a new flag was designed for Georgia. People voted on it, and 73% preferred the new design. This new flag was based on the first Confederate national flag, called the Stars and Bars. People were not given the choice to go back to the 1956 flag, which some wanted.
After the 2001 flag change, people who supported the old flag started showing the Confederate battle flag. They also displayed the 1956 Georgia flag, which had the Confederate battle flag on it. They did this at political events and when lawmakers who voted for the new flag made public appearances. These people were soon called "flaggers."
Active Flagger Groups Today
As of 2018, there are several active flagger groups:
- Virginia Flaggers: This group formed in 2011. They have put up Confederate flags across Virginia. By April 2020, they had put up 31 flags.
- Tennessee Confederate Flaggers
- Alabama Flaggers
- Delta (Mississippi) Flaggers: This group often protests in front of businesses or schools that do not fly the traditional Mississippi flag. The old Mississippi flag used to include the Confederate battle flag. It was officially changed in 2020 and replaced in 2021.
- Georgia Flaggers
- Flags Across the Carolinas: The Sons of Confederate Veterans started this effort. They want to put up very large Confederate battle flags (20 by 30 feet) in all 100 counties in North Carolina. They place these flags on private land with the owner's permission.
- Alamance County Taking Back Alamance County (ACTBAC): This group was identified as a "neo-Confederate" group by the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2016 and 2017. They tried to put up Confederate flags in four places around Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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