Mississippi lawmakers voted Sunday to retire the Confederate battle emblem from its state flag, following widespread increased pressure that came in part from the world of sports.
Mississippi's House and Senate voted in succession Sunday afternoon to retire the flag, with broad bipartisan support. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said he will sign the bill, and the state flag would lose its official status as soon as he signs the measure.
Mississippi is the only state flag that continues to feature the banner of the Confederacy -- a blue cross with 13 white stars. The state has faced pressure to change its flag during the past month amid international protests against racial injustice in the United States.