‘Stunning reversal’ in South Carolina

In a historic vote, which the Associated Press called a “stunning reversal” the South Carolina House passed a bill early this morning, in concurrence with the Senate, to take down the flag from the State House lawn.

The South Carolina House approved a bill removing the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds, a stunning reversal in a state that was the first to leave the Union in 1860 and raised the flag again at its Statehouse more than 50 years ago to protest the civil rights movement.

The move early Thursday came after more than 13 hours of passionate and contentious debate, and just weeks after the fatal shootings of nine black church members, including a state senator, at a Bible study in Charleston.

“South Carolina can remove the stain from our lives,” said 64-year-old Rep. Joe Neal, a black Democrat first elected in 1992. “I never thought in my lifetime I would see this.”

Gov. Nikki Haley signed the bill into law with pens representing the nine people who were killed in the recent Charleston shooting. Each pen will be given to the families of the victims.

When historians write about this moment in our nation’s history, they will surely remember Rep. Jenny Horne:

The flag is scheduled to be taken down at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.