WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WGNS) – Residents urged the Williamson County Commission on Monday to initiate a resolution requesting a waiver from the Tennessee Monuments and Memorials Commission, aiming to remove the Confederate battle flag from the county seal.
The seal, established in 1968, features a Confederate flag and cannon in its upper-left quadrant. Such symbols are protected under the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act, which was expanded last year to include county and municipal seals, requiring a two-thirds vote at the state level for any alteration.
During the meeting, Cory Martin, a member of One WillCo, emphasized, “This is not about erasing history. It’s about creating a new and better future we can all be proud of.” Resident Dustin Koctar, who launched a petition in 2020, added that while the flag may reflect Civil War history, “we have seen that particular flag… closely aligned with discrimination, racial terror… It’s not representative of Williamson County” .
Ragan Grossman, chair of the Rutherford County Democratic Party and a Franklin High School alum, shared how the school’s mascot was changed from the “Rebels” to the “Admirals” in the early 2000s. She reflected, “When you know better, you do better… The Confederate flag… is just not something we want on our seal.” She suggested that such a symbol belongs in a museum, not on an official emblem.
The Commission must first decide whether to draft and approve the waiver resolution. If approved, the Tennessee Monuments and Memorials Commission would vote on the request, needing a two-thirds majority. Legal challenges could arise from groups such as the Sons of Confederate Veterans, which previously opposed a similar action in nearby Wilson County.
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Local vote – The County Commission will consider drafting the waiver resolution.
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State-level review – The Monuments and Memorials Commission would require a two-thirds vote for approval.
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Potential legal opposition – Advocacy groups may mount legal challenges if the request moves forward.
Williamson County, site of several Civil War battles and home to the historic McGavock Confederate Cemetery, has long grappled with how to balance historical context with symbols that some find divisive .