NASCAR on Wednesday banned the Confederate flag from all races as the sport moved to distance itself from a checkered past on race amid global…
NASCAR on Wednesday banned the Confederate flag from all races as the sport moved to distance itself from a checkered past on race amid global protests against the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody.
The African American man died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25. As protests erupted, NASCAR promised to do more to address racial injustice and followed through on that with the Confederate flag ban.
While some in the South see the flag as a source of pride and a remembrance of soldiers who died fighting for the Confederacy in the 1861-65 Civil War, many Americans see it as a symbol of oppression and slavery.
“The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry,” NASCAR said in a statement.
