WINTER PARK, Fla. – A Confederate flag burning ceremony scheduled to take place at an Orlando park on Memorial Day grabbed national headlines over the weekend.
Julian Chambliss, the chair of the Department of History and coordinator of the Africa and African-American Studies program at Rollins College, led the ceremony, which took place at the Greenwood Urban Wetlands.
"The Confederate flag means a lot of things to a lot of people," Chambliss said Monday. "But to a lot of people, it's a repressive thing."
Chambliss's efforts to draw attention to the meaning of the flag come from a larger movement started by artist John Sims. Sims is leading a national movement in burning the flag Monday and called supporters like Chambliss to help lead the charge.
Twenty to 30 supporters showed up at the Urban Wetlands to show their support, but as expected, so too did the opposition.
"I'm very upset," said Dean Eason, a Vietnam War veteran, who showed up holding a protester sign. "I'm very angry, and upset they didn't have the nerve to burn the flag here in front of us."
Chambliss had originally hoped to burn the flag in the park, but was told by Orlando police that city ordinances wouldn't allow it. Instead, Chambliss burned the flag on Sunday, and brought the ashes to the park on Monday to be scattered on a pond.
"It was really cool to be a part of," said Gabriel Johnson, who supported the effort.
At times, participants were involved in heated debates and arguments, but things remained peaceful.
"Some people have a very tight grip on the past," said Associate UCF Professor Jay Jurie. "They aren't so eager to let go."