Time for a new symbol for the American South? How would you change it?

The June murders of nine African Americans by a white supremacist in Charleston, South Carolina, have sparked a debate over the symbolism of the Confederate battle flag. South Carolina removed the Confederate Battle Flag from its Capital grounds and other states are now following suit as well. Meanwhile, big merchandisers no longer sell Confederate merchandise.

But how should the South be represented iconographically in the 21st century? Is there one symbol that could capture the region’s history without being hateful — one that all kinds of Southerners might want to put on bumper stickers and belt buckles?

Gus Granger, the co-founder and head designer of the firm Seventy KFT in Dallas, is working with a team of designers to come up with a new icon to replace the flag.

“When I first went and explored the South, my first time was in Savannah, Georgia. [I had a] beautiful, wonderful experience there and it's been contrasted with some of the uglier things which has brought us to this conversation,” says Granger, who is African American and grew up in Minnesota.

Granger’s positive and negative experiences in the American South got him excited about the challenge of redesigning a symbol for the region. 

“I was really smacked with the residue of Confederate history and really took that background as well as our own family genealogy and tried to reconcile the tension between our modern society, remembering the Confederacy, remembering that battle, and its impact on how we continue to live today and struggle with a variety of things,” Granger says.

Coming up with an icon to replace the bold, visually-striking Confederate battle flag is no easy task. Granger, who plans on sharing his design with Studio 360 in September, likes the symbol of the pecan tree.

“That was the center of their family and family reunions. Everyone was under that tree,” he says, adding, “I think of New Orleans and the immaculate, wonderful, unique architecture of the French influence there. The palmetto trees.”

Others have suggested focusing on sweet tea, barbecue, a blues guitar, magnolias or the Mississippi River as a symbol. Or mourning doves, native to the region and symbols of peace. 

What do you think? Does the South need a new symbol? What should it be? Tell us in the comments below, or tweet @studio360show with your ideas for a #newicon.

This story first aired as an interview on PRI's Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen.