For the first time since 1997, a Mississippi state flag has been raised over government buildings in Vicksburg.

Tuesday, city employees raised the “In God We Trust” flag in front of Vicksburg’s city hall, ending a period of more than 20 years with no state flag flying.

In 1997, then-Mayor Robert Walker announced the state flag, which at the time contained the Confederate Battle Flag image in the upper left corner, would no longer fly over city buildings or be displayed in city buildings.

On N0v. 3, voters in Mississippi overwhelmingly supported the new state flag design, which will now go before the Legislature in January to be certified.

Soon after the recent election, Mayor George Flaggs Jr., who had long advocated for a change to the state flag, said that once the city purchased the new flags that it would be displayed.