In one of the clearest signs yet that sports figures who choose not to stick to sports can make a big difference in their communities, Mississippi has decided to change its state flag after intense pressure that came largely from the football world.
The decision to take the Confederate flag out of the Mississippi flag was approved by the state legislature today, and the governor has said he will sign the bill into law.
Pressure from the football world was most notable from Kylin Hill, Mississippi State’s star running back, who said he wouldn’t play in his home state again if the flag didn’t change. Pressure also came from Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, Mississippi State coach Mike Leach, and the SEC, the conference that both Ole Miss and Mississippi State play in.
Hill in particular should be commended as a young man who decided to use his platform to affect change, and who saw change come quickly. Other football players may also feel emboldened by seeing how effective Hill was in saying he had priorities beyond football.