A longstanding Ole Miss tradition is being tossed aside in the name of inclusion.
The Rebels marching band will no longer perform the song “Dixie” before, during or after games. The song was an unofficial anthem of the Confederacy during the Civil War.
“The newly expanded and renovated Vaught-Hemingway Stadium will further highlight our best traditions and create new ones that give the Ole Miss Rebels the best home field advantage in college football,” Ole Miss athletic director Ross Bjork said in a statement. “Because the Pride of the South is such a large part of our overall experience and tradition, the Athletics Department asked them to create a new and modern pregame show that does not include Dixie and is more inclusive for all fans.