The Most Moving Photos From South Carolina's Confederate Flag Removal

Just one day after South Carolina governor Nikki Haley signed a bill into law banning the Confederate flag from Capitol grounds, the flag was removed from the State House on Friday morning. The contentious Civil War symbol was taken down by a group of honor guards from the South Carolina highway patrol in front of hundreds of citizens, both for and against the movement. They folded it and delivered it into the hands of a museum director. The flag was carried by Confederate troops from 1861 to 1865 and has flown at the state capitol for 54 years. It has been at the center of an emotional debate since the massacre of nine people at a Charleston church in June; many Charleston residents lobbied for the flag to be taken down from the Capitol building — it is widely considered a symbol of slavery and racism, while others praise it as a representation of Southern heritage and pride. Even President Obama addressed the flag while giving a eulogy in honor of slain Reverend Clementa Pinckney last month, saying, "For too long, we were blind to the pain that the Confederate flag stirred in too many of our citizens," adding, "By taking down that flag, we express God's grace."

Days after the public funeral, South Carolina activist Bree Newsome took matters into her own hands, scaling the flagpole outside the State House and removing the Confederate flag from its post. She was instantly lauded as a feminist hero by thousands on social media, including celebrities Michael Moore and Selma director Ava Duvernay. Bree spoke about her feat, saying, "I removed the flag not only in defiance of those who enslaved my ancestors in the southern United States, but also in defiance of the oppression that continues against black people globally in 2015." She went on: "The emblem of the confederacy, the stars and bars, in all its manifestations, has long been the most recognizable banner of this political ideology. It's the banner of racial intimidation and fear whose popularity experiences an uptick whenever black Americans appear to be making gains economically and politically in this country."

Friday's removal of the Confederate flag once and for all proves that legislators and politicians from both parties agree with the sentiments stated by Bree Newsome. After Nikki Haley's historic bill signing, Mitt Romney shared his congratulations, saying, "Congratulations to @nikkihaley for real and symbolic leadership. A proud nation salutes a proud state." On Friday, after the flag was removed for good, President Obama tweeted, "South Carolina taking down the confederate flag — a signal of goodwill and healing, and a meaningful step towards a better future." Keep reading to see the emotional reactions to the Confederate flag's removal from South Carolina's Capitol building.