The U.S. Supreme Court has officially closed the door on a lawsuit that could have led to a new flag for Mississippi.

On Monday, the high court formally declined to hear the appeal of Grenada attorney Carlos Moore, a black city judge who said the flag’s Confederate battle emblem caused him health problems and relegates him to second-class citizen status.

After two lower courts tossed Moore’s suit, the Supreme Court in August asked Gov. Phil Bryant, who is named as a defendant in the case, to submit a response to Moore’s claims.

The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Congressional Black Caucus wrote briefs supporting Moore’s suit.

Moore told the Associated Press that he knew winning the case was a longshot, adding: “We’re hopeful that one day the flag will come down. … It seems that the public sentiment continues to change, and I am confident that it will come down in my lifetime and definitely in my daughter’s.”

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Ryan L. Nave, a native of University City, Mo., served as Mississippi Today's editor-in-chief from May 2018 until April 2020. Ryan began his career with Mississippi Today February 2016 as an original member of the editorial team. He became news editor August 2016. Ryan has a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and has worked for Illinois Times and served as news editor for the Jackson Free Press.

2 replies on “State flag lawsuit hits end of the road at U.S. Supreme Court”

  1. Can someone boot this racist off the comments? Light him up Otis with your much higher intellect.

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