Ole Miss band drops ‘Dixie’ from football games
OXFORD, Miss. — The University of Mississippi’s marching band will no longer play the song “Dixie,” which was traditionally performed at athletic events but has drawn criticism because of its historical context, the school announced Friday.
Athletic Director Ross Bjork said the decision to remove the song was made “well before” Friday but was announced publically after several news outlets contacted the school.
“We want everyone who steps foot on campus to feel welcome and that they’re part of the Ole Miss family,” Bjork said. “There wasn’t one defining moment (that led to the decision). It was a collaborative process where we felt we needed to move forward and do the right things. This is another step in that direction to make sure we’re welcoming to people.”
He added that band leadership was supportive of the decision. Attempts made through Ole Miss to reach band director David Willson for comment were unsuccessful.
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The decision to stop playing “Dixie,” which served as the Confederate battle anthem during the Civil War, comes after several changes regarding traditions on campus.
Former Chancellor Robert Khayat banned sticks from the football stadium in an attempt to keep fans from bringing the Confederate flag into games in 1997.
Former Chancellor Dan Jones also asked the band in 2009 to stop playing the song “From Dixie With Love” because some fans chanted “the South will rise again” in response.
The school removed former mascot Colonel Reb from the sidelines in 2003 and discontinued sales of merchandise featuring Colonel Reb in 2010. Ole Miss also took down the state flag, which includes the Confederate battle flag in one corner, last October.
“I was with somebody last night and they made a comment — this person travels the world — and they said, ‘You know what? Out of any university in America, Ole Miss has made more strides as a leading American university than many universities in the country,’” Bjork said.
“I think this is one piece of it. We have to provide leadership in this area, we have to understand what’s occurred before us and we have to continue to move forward in the best environment possible.”
Junior Allen Coon, a senator in the associated student body legislature who co-authored a resolution to take down the state flag on campus, applauded the decision to stop playing “Dixie,” saying it would be an opportunity to create traditions that are more inclusive.
Dominique Scott, the treasurer for the NAACP chapter at Ole Miss and a fellow student, agreed.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction of the culture shift that I think is very necessary at the University of Mississippi,” she said. “For where the university is trying to go to create an inclusive culture and a culture that welcomes students from all backgrounds and walks of life.”
The band cut back on how often it played the song last season, when it performed it only before the start of football games. Previously, the band played a version of “Dixie” whenever the Rebels scored.
The decision to stop playing “Dixie” didn’t surprise senior Megan Walls, a color guard member who said the band, called The Pride of the South, learned the news when members reported for camp last Saturday.
“The athletic department, they decide what’s best for the school, and we do as we’re told,” she said. “As long as it’s going to help the community and help the school better itself, I’m going to do whatever they tell me to.”