Story perspectives

Governor Condemns Confederate Flag; Mt. Olive Pulls Out.

6/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

Governor Josh Stein condemned a video that briefly showed a split North Carolina flag with Confederate battle emblem at the Great American State Fair, prompting officials to remove it.
Mt. Olive Pickle withdrew from the pavilion, citing the unexpected Confederate imagery and its commitment to human dignity and freedom.
Historian Stephen Jackson and advocacy group Carolina Forward denounced the altered flags, saying the state flag never included the Confederate emblem.

History

Historical Context

In November 1861 the Army of Northern Virginia received the diagonal-cross battle flag, which soon flew over North Carolina’s capitol until 1865. The emblem, later called the Confederate battle flag, has since divided public opinion—a 2020 YouGov poll of 34,000 adults found 41 % view it as a symbol of racism. Governor Josh Stein’s 2024 denunciation of a split-state flag revives that long-standing controversy.

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Story summary

Governor Josh Stein condemned a video that briefly showed a split North Carolina flag with Confederate battle emblem at the Great American State Fair, prompting officials to remove it.
Mt. Olive Pickle withdrew from the pavilion, citing the unexpected Confederate imagery and its commitment to human dignity and freedom.
Historian Stephen Jackson and advocacy group Carolina Forward denounced the altered flags, saying the state flag never included the Confederate emblem.

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