WASHINGTON, D.C. — A video board in the North Carolina exhibit at the Great American State Fair on Washington’s National Mall drew some unwanted attention Friday by displaying a Confederate flag.
Late Friday afternoon the video was removed.
“On Friday, we became aware of an unapproved image in a video displayed inside the North Carolina Pavilion,” a spokesperson for the North Carolina pavilion/exhibit said in a statement. “As soon as we were made aware, we immediately removed the video and began reviewing how it occurred. Our focus remains on celebrating America’s 250th birthday and North Carolina’s role in our nation’s history.”
The booth had monitors showing the current North Carolina flag, but it also had a flag split between the current one and the Confederate flag.
The state of North Carolina decided not to sponsor a booth at the fair, citing expenses, but several companies stepped in to sponsor the exhibit.
The governor’s office responded after seeing the video, and a spokesperson said, “This display does not reflect the North Carolina that we love. America 250 is about unity and bringing our nation together. Glorifying this divisive Confederate symbol does the exact opposite. We demand the organizers stop dishonoring the flag of North Carolina.”
Mt. Olive Pickle Company, one of the sponsors of the booth, said it will no longer participate in the exhibit, according to a statement from the company.
“Mt. Olive Pickle Company was invited to participate in the North Carolina exhibit for the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., as part of America’s 250th celebration,” the statement said. “We are proud of our North Carolina roots, and we agreed to be a part of an exhibit, as presented to us, that would represent the best of our great state. We were unaware that an image of the Confederate flag was included in a video as part of this exhibit, and we have withdrawn our participation. Our company stands on values of human dignity, opportunity, and freedom.”
Mt. Olive has not responded since the video was removed.
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