Confederate Flag Comes Down in South Carolina

A major change to the South Carolina statehouse: the Confederate flag is being removed from it's pole and moved to the state's relic room.

Gov. Nikki Haley signed legislation to remove the flag Thursday.

At the signing were the families of the nine killed in what police call an act of racial hatred at a historic black church in Charleston.

"The action of nine individuals laid out this long chain of events that forever showed the state of South Carolina what love and forgiveness looks like," Haley said.

The flag has been flown in the South Carolina statehouse for more than 50 years.

State lawmakers approved taking down the Confederate flag from the state's capitol after Gov. Haley urged them on the matter shortly after Charlesteon church massacre in June.

Nine members were killed a Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston,  including a state senator Clementa Pinckney.

Emotions ran deep during the debate in both the state House and the Senate. In the state House, Democrats became frustrated with several Republicans who asked for grace for people who want to remember their Southern ancestors.

Rep. Joe Neal told of his ancestors: four brothers who were bought by slave owners with the last name Neal.

"The whole world is asking, is South Carolina really going to change or will it hold to an ugly tradition of prejudice and discrimination and hide behind heritage as an excuse for it," he said.

Meanwhile, state police are investigating an unspecified number of threats against South Carolina lawmakers debating the flag.