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Ole Miss Campus Leaders Call For Greater Student Input On Place Of Traditional Symbols
Some students say a majority of their peers would vote to resuscitate traditional symbols, such as former mascot Colonel Reb, pictured above. Photo by John West
In Ole Miss’ historic Circle, a Mississippi Bicentennial Banner (which does not contain Confederate imagery) flies under Old Glory, instead of the state’s official flag. Photo by John West
As debate continues to rage across Southern states concerning whether Confederate symbols should be displayed in public spaces, some student leaders at the University of Mississippi say that the best way to settle the discussions long-associated with the school is through allowing the student body to decide their own fates in referendums.
Since 2003, Ole Miss has dropped Colonel Reb (a mascot associated with the Old South), stopped the marching band from playing traditional fight songs such as “From Dixie with Love” and “Dixie” at sporting events, and renamed Confederate Drive to Chapel Lane.
Along with the Magnolia State’s eight other public universities, the “Flagship University” ceased flying the Mississippi flag in October of 2015. Mississippi’s flag is the only current U.S. state banner that includes the Confederate battle flag’s saltire.
Debates among students over the place of controversial symbols at the university have been vitriolic.
In March, during the Associated Student Body (ASB) election campaign, a large wooden sign belonging to Dylan Wood that included an image of a Mississippi flag was pushed over and defaced with paint by a student, who was later arrested in April in connection with the vandalism.
Wood, a junior from Tupelo and now ASB secretary, is a vocal supporter of the state flag and traditional symbols of the University. University Police arrested Wood on an alcohol charge earlier during the school year at a football game after he reportedly refused to hand over a Mississippi flag, which he snuck into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Wood said he has been engaged in some “respectful dialogue” with students that do not share his views, however, in addition to his arrest and the vandalism of his property, he has endured occasional verbal torment for his views, and has even been threatened.
“I get sly comments, ‘There goes that racist kid,’ ‘There goes the flag guy…’ I do get calls from anonymous numbers threatening to kick my tail, or something like that, but that’s about it,” Wood said.
Wood, as well as other students, disagrees that the symbols are “racist,” and they assert that their positions are mainstream among the student body.
If a majority of people are offended, take them away, but we don’t know because the school won’t let them on the ballot,” said Wess Helton, student president of the Colonel Reb Foundation on campus, a club which strives to reinstate the school’s old mascot.
Helton, a sophomore in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and a native of Lexington, South Carolina, said that many of the historical symbols actually best represent the culture of the university: a culture that he says attracted him and many other like-minded students to the institution.
“Taking away a lot of the unique traditions makes the university another generic public school,” Helton said.
Changing The Campus
In 2010, a student referendum to choose a new character to represent the university led to the “Rebel Black Bear” becoming the school’s mascot. Absent from the options, however, was the choice to keep the school’s Colonel Reb mascot.
In 2015, the ASB Senate voted to remove the state flag on campus, but a student-wide referendum was not held on the issue. The student body was also not consulted on their approval of any of the school’s administrative decisions regarding the controversial symbols around campus, including the work done by the Committee for Contextualization.
In an email exchange about the subject, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Brandi Hephner LaBanc wrote, “Student votes are appropriate in certain circumstances, but some decisions are guided by students’ voices and many other constituents (e.g., faculty, staff, etc.).”
Regarding the current political climate on campus, Hephner LaBanc also shared, “I am deeply worried about the lack of civility and respect that individuals seem to hold for others.
“I want Ole Miss students to learn how to disagree and debate civilly. We don’t have to agree on issues (political, social or otherwise), but we have to be willing to talk—and that includes listening.”
Helton said that those who support the Mississippi state flag returning to campus and members of the Colonel Reb Foundation are not advocates of racism or white nationalism. Helton added that his political allies consist of a very diverse group, which includes first and second generation Americans as well as people of many races and creeds.
“I’ve been called a greasy white boy. I’ve been compared to the Charleston shooter,” Helton said. Our vice-president [of the Colonel Reb Foundation] is black. He slept on the couch in my room the other night. And, I’m racist?”
Blair Smith, an African-American junior from Jacksonville, Florida, who is very active and visible in both the Colonel Reb and State Flag foundations said that none of the questionable symbols are inherently offensive to him “as a black man.” He also said that members of these organizations are not racists, and that many of them are some of his best friends.
Smith claims that the Mississippi flag, Colonel Reb, Dixie and other traditions have been “made issues by white liberals,” especially those who are involved in the media. Smith was initially reluctant to be interviewed, saying that in the past, members of the student media have not been “very objective or kind” toward people that celebrate the state’s Confederate heritage.
“The coverage has not been great from ‘The Daily Mississippian.’ We’ve been told that we dehumanize other students. We’ve been compared to the Ku Klux Klan,” Smith said. “We’ve not conducted violence toward anyone.”
According to Helton, Smith and Wood, when given the chance to debate with students with differing viewpoints, all three are often able to remain “respectful.” What they want now is a chance for a campus-wide debate that ends in a student vote.
In conversation with University officials, including the Division of Student Affairs, Wood said he has been told that a student-wide referendum on a symbol, like Colonel Reb or the state flag, is “not part of the University’s future direction.”
“The students want the University the way it was in the ’80s and the ’90s,” Wood said. “If we put it to a vote tomorrow, I’d bet everything I had that we could bring back Colonel Reb, Dixie and the state flag.”
For questions or comments email Hottytoddynews@gmail.com.
Story contributed by Meek School of Journalism & New Media student John West, jtwest1@go.olemiss.edu.
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| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
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| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
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| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
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| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |
Jack Vincent
May 15, 2017 at 3:13 pm
Long Live Colonel Reb, Fly Your State Flag, and Let the Damn Band Play Dixie!
Charlotte Underwood
May 15, 2017 at 6:46 pm
PUT THE COLONEL ,THE FLAG ,AND BACK AND BRING BACK DIXIE ! THIS IS OUR HISTORY AND SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED. THERE IS NO NOTHING PREJUDICE IN ANY OF THESE SYMBOLS IT IS ALL SOUTHERNERS HERITAGE!
Waite Ligon
May 15, 2017 at 8:24 pm
From Dixie with Love is one of the most beautiful things the Pride of The South band has ever played. Denying them the privilege of performing that highly spirited version is a crime of immense dimensions. Walking to the stadium from the Grove after that rendition by the band is a terrific experience.
There are no more than 50 black bears in the entire state of Mississippi. A black bear for a mascot is a complete mockery.
The University budget is approximately 25% funded by the state of Mississippi, yet the University refuses to fly the flag of the state. An absolute travesty.
Let the student body debate and vote on reinstating the Colonel, From Dixie with Love and flying the state flag!
Congratulations to the student author of this article and to the leadership of HT.com on finally allowing another side of the coin to be heard!
HG
May 16, 2017 at 8:05 am
The Students, Alumni, and Patrons of Ole Miss should vote and make the decision, on Colonel Rebel, Dixie, Confederate Drive, the State Flag, and the contextualizing of places with historical significance on campus. These items of history belong to the Ole Miss people not liberal ideologues who act as P.C. police. This situation has really gotten out of hand at Ole Miss, and it needs to be corrected by the College board, the Governor, or the State legislature. If left to their own devices these liberal ideologues will total re-write or destroy any accurate understanding of our ancestors or our history! The State legislature should act to protect our Ole Miss heritage.
Marilu Boutwell
May 16, 2017 at 4:08 pm
Instead of placing signs all over the place, put it into faculty salaries .
KA
May 18, 2017 at 9:19 am
Only 50 black bears remain. How many white antebellum slave-owners are still around?
Also, the University receives about 8% (and actively decreasing) of its operating budget from the state. Which is why tuition costs have risen so dramatically in recent years. Families now have to make up the gap.
KA
May 18, 2017 at 9:26 am
While the flag may not seem like a prejudicial symbol to you, for many, it is a symbol of a THEIR family’s experiences of the same period of history – a period in which their ancestors were enslaved.
Old Rebel
May 18, 2017 at 2:23 pm
Alumni and taxpayers should have final say, not a bunch of whiney, wet behind the ears students from out of state, who are offended by a history and culture they don’t understand or agree with.
Libby Mcphail
May 19, 2017 at 1:51 pm
Bring back Colonel Reb , play Dixie!, and fly the state flag !! Absolutely ???
Todd brown
May 22, 2017 at 3:24 pm
Who gives a Damn ? Everyone has a grievance about something!