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Witness History: The Confederate flag and America’s battle over race

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The Confederate flag and America’s battle over race

14/06/2021 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, The Confederate flag and America’s battle over race

Why an activist removed the Confederate flag from South Carolina's state house grounds

Why an anti-racist activist removed the Confederate flag from South Carolina's state house grounds. For African Americans the flag is a symbol of slavery and black subordination.

In June 2015 an American anti-racist activist climbed a flagpole on the South Carolina state house grounds to take down the Confederate flag. The protest followed the killing of 9 black people at a historic Charleston church by a white supremacist who was pictured holding the flag. The Confederate flag was the battle flag of the troops who fought to retain slavery during America’s civil war. For African Americans the flag is a symbol of slavery, segregation and black subordination. Bree Newsome Bass talks to Farhana Haider about her act of protest.

Bree Newsome taking down the Confederate flag at the State House in Columbia, SC, on Saturday 27th June 2015 . She was arrested for her action. (Photo by Adam Anderson / Reuters)

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