Statement on the University of Mississippi State Flag Removal
The Andrew Goodman Foundation applauds our Vote Everywhere Ambassador Allen Coon’s successful campaign to bring down the Mississippi State flag from the grounds of The University of Mississippi. This morning, the University removed the flag and placed it in its archives. Allen Coon, a sophomore at the University of Mississippi championed efforts across campus to bring down the state flag, the only state flag with the Confederate battle symbol prominently featured.
Allen’s work not only had an impact on his campus community and the state of Mississippi, but captured national attention from Democracy Now!, CNN, The Washington Post, Al Jazeera America, PBS, USA Today, and Time.com, among many others.
In 1964, Andrew Goodman, a 20 year old college student travelled to Mississippi to participate in Freedom Summer, a youth-led movement for equality and justice. In 2015, Allen, also a 20 year old college student, continues this struggle by helping bring the state of Mississippi- with its painful history of racial tensions-toward a more unified era.
The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Vote Everywhere program honors Andrew’s legacy and work by empowering, engaging and training a new generation of young people. Vote Everywhere is a college-based platform for students to focus on leadership and social change. We are proud that as an Ambassador, Allen has exemplified the heart of our program and mission. His efforts, along with the students who organized with him at University of Mississippi are an inspiring representation of what it means to participate in our Democracy.