White Racial Attitudes and Support for the Mississippi State Flag

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a dearth of literature documenting a relationship between oldfashioned racism and the vote for a racially conservative candidate or White opposition to various racial policies. In fact, a number of scholars have argued that a newracism has supplanted the old-fashioned racism. Analysis of a survey of college students in the state of Mississippi reveals that old-fashioned racism provides the strongest explanation of White support for the Mississippi state flag. These findings are startling given the educational levels of the respondents.

Flags of our fathers: Voting on Confederate symbols in the State of Georgia

“…The literature linking voters' educational attainment and support for symbols of the Confederacy is vast (Clark, 1997;Reingold & Wike, 1998;Orey, 2004;Cooper & Knotts, 2006). Empirical tests of the relationship generally show that less educated voters tend to exhibit stronger support for the Confederate battle flag.…”

Race discourse and the US Confederate Flag

“…Included in the study were indexes for 'old fashioned racism' (i.e. resistance to interracial marriage) and 'racial resentment' or symbolic racism (Orey 2004). Again, negative racial attitudes proved 'to be strongly related to the intensity of support for the Confederate Flag in Mississippi' (Orey 2004, 113).…”

“…Both 'old fashioned racism' and 'resentment' had twice the effect of any other variable studied, including party affiliation, gender, and age. Although Orey (2004) surveyed white college students, reports from a newspaper poll were included revealing that 69% of Blacks find the flag racially offensive and a 'symbol of racial hatred' (Orey 2004, 4).…”

“…Yet historically, flags can evoke a sense of separation (or even hatred), as well as a sense of solidarity. This may be particularly so with the Confederate Flag, known for its condensing qualities and ability to elicit a variety of emotional responses, including anger, shame, indifference and pride (Brundage 2006;Coski 2005;Hutchings, Walton, and Benjamin 2005;Orey 2004; Reingold and Wike 1998). While physical objects like flags 'function as symbols language can evoke powerful emotions, even in the absence of the thing to which the words refer' (Newman 2007, 75).…”

Southern Discomfort: The Effects of Stereotype Threat on the Intellectual Performance of US Southerners

“…many state flags (including those of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee; see Coski, 2005;Orey, 2004;Reingold & Wike, 1998). For some, the Confederate flag serves as a painful reminder of racism and slavery.…”