Current Status Introducing Body:Senate Bill Number:1009 Primary Sponsor:Ford Committee Number:11 Type of Legislation:CR Subject:Black Liberation Flag Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Judiciary Computer Document Number:1009 Introduced Date:19940111 Last History Body:Senate Last History Date:19940111 Last History Type:Introduced, referred to Committee Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Ford Glover Type of Legislation:Concurrent Resolution
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN Leg Involved
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1009 Senate 19940111 Introduced, referred to 11
Committee
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TO CAUSE THE BLACK LIBERATION FLAG TO BE FLOWN FROM THE FLAGPOLE ATOP THE STATE HOUSE AND INSIDE THE CHAMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF THE STRUGGLE FOR LIBERATION AND SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF CERTAIN CITIZENS, IN KEEPING WITH THE LEGISLATIVE POLICY OF HONORING SUCH CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH THE DISPLAY OF FLAGS.
Whereas, the United States Flag and the South Carolina Flag both fly above the State House and in the chambers of both houses of the General Assembly as official symbols of separate sovereign governments; and
Whereas, as a matter of legislative policy, the General Assembly has determined that it is proper to display flags other than the two official sovereign flags; and
Whereas, the purpose of this policy is to recognize the contributions of certain citizens past and to celebrate certain aspects of Southern culture and heritage; and
Whereas, the contributions of certain other citizens and certain other aspects of Southern culture and heritage have not heretofore been officially recognized by the display of a flag in their honor and memory; and
Whereas, these certain other citizens, alternatively known as Coloreds, Negroes, Blacks, and African-Americans, have made a substantial historical contribution to the development of the State of South Carolina through labor, industry, and loss of life; and
Whereas, such citizens have engaged in a long, gallant, and continuous struggle to achieve liberation and equality in this State and in the United States; and
Whereas, more than one million such citizens now reside in South Carolina, representing almost thirty percent of the state's population; and
Whereas, such citizens have adopted a flag to represent their struggle and unity under a common cause, both formally, through various political and cultural associations and organizations, and informally, by the incorporation of the colors of such flag in various insignia and memorabilia; and
Whereas, the flag originated in the early part of this century with Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association, an organization devoted to the liberation of such citizens in the United States at a time when systematic inequality and blatant discrimination were a way of life; and
Whereas, the colors of the flag, red, black, and green, have been incorporated into the flags of various sovereign African nations that have been liberated from colonialism, as well as other nations populated largely by people of African descent. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That a flag, to be known as the Black Liberation Flag, consisting of single red, black, and green horizontal bars of equal dimensions, with the colors running from left to right, respectively, be flown from the flagpole atop the State House, as well as from the rostrums in the chambers of both houses of the General Assembly.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Director of the Division of General Services.