S 1009 Concurrent Resolution, By Ford and Glover
 A Concurrent Resolution 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.

   01/11/94  Senate Introduced SJ-66
   01/11/94  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-66

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

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.