NEW YORK (RNS/ENI) Black members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)are joining other churches in boycotting South Carolina because the state displays the Confederate flag on the state capitol grounds.
The National Convocation, a conference of some 1,000 black Disciples, had scheduled its 2010 biennial session in Charleston, S.C., but changed plans at the request of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The NAACP, one of the most prominent civil rights groups in the United States, has called for a national boycott of South Carolina until the state removes the Confederate flag from a memorial outside the state capitol inColumbia.
For years, the flag had flown above the capitol. But after heated controversy it was moved to a memorial site that honors South Carolina history.
Supporters say the flag is part of the state’s heritage and should be honored; critics say it is a painful reminder of slavery and racial segregation.
The Disciples National Convocation had already begun signing hotel contracts for their 2010 meeting, but the NAACP urged the church to change venues. The denominational group joined other U.S. church bodies — including groupings linked to the Catholic Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church and United Methodist Church — that have supported the NAACP boycott, according to DisciplesWorld, a magazine and news service that covers the Christian Church.
Lonnie Randolph, president of the NAACP in South Carolina, quoted by DisciplesWorld, told church members, “The flag was first placed above the state capitol to protest the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It is a symbol of one of the most racist organizations in America. This matter is serious. We are fighting for simple truths. Your support will help strengthen us.”
Church officials said the NAACP will help the denomination recoup the cancellation fees for the hotel reservations.
