As Starkville Pride gears up for its LGBT parade this Saturday, a piece of history will march in the streets with participants.
Known as Section No. 93, the enormous 25-foot-long, 14-feet-wide rainbow flag is making the journey from Key West, Florida to Starkville, Mississippi.
Section No. 93 stems from Gilbert Baker's "Sea to Sea" flag, which was originally a 1.25 mile long rainbow flag sewn together in 2003 to commemorate the 25 year anniversary of the 1978 rainbow flag.
The “Sea to Sea” flag was then cut up into sections to be distributed for Pride events throughout the country and world.
"93 itself has done pretty much a lot of travel over the last 15 years, but it came to prominence by accident during the Obergefell trial at the United States Supreme Court,” Project Director for the Sacred Cloth Project Mark Ebenhoch said.
Ebenhoch said outside of the U.S. Supreme Court, he witnessed members of the LGBT community exhibiting strength and courage after having the presence of such a large symbol around them.
He said the significance and power of the flag is a direct correlation of its size. He said it’s almost the same feeling the American public receives when the American Flag of great size is unfurled.
“The power that it brings within the LGBT community to see something that large that represents them as a whole," Ebenhoch said. "There's something that emotes them.”
As for a smaller community like Starkville, Ebenhoch said in Morehead, Kentucky where Kim Davis refused a U.S Federal Court Order to issue marriage licenses for a same sex couple, it sent a spark throughout their members and found a way to push through oppression.
"It kind of gave them a crutch and a little help to stand up on their two feet," Ebenhoch said. "It's more of an emotional thing than anything else, other than the fact that it's been seen, touched and carried probably more than any other LGBT flag on the planet.”
Ebenhoch said the reason why the Hope, Unity and Global Equality organization decided to bring the flag to Starkville was because one of its main missions is to reach out to the smaller, underserved communities.
He said in places like New York, Los Angeles and other large cities, the LGBT communities are in an area with an immense amount of support, while rural areas do not.
"Our goal and our mission is to reach out to those areas, reach out to the rural areas and teach them that the LGBT community is not the big bad monster," Ebenhoch said. ”That we are a part of their community, a part of their families and it's ok to stand up and be proud of oneself.”
As for the thought process of bringing the flag, Ebenhoch said as soon as they saw the Starkville Board of Aldermen denied the special event request from Starkville Pride, that night he immediately reached out saying Section No. 93 is available.
“It was a matter of OK this community is in turmoil, this community is fighting for its life and we'll be there," Ebenhoch said.
The flag will be held by many community members involved in making the parade a reality, showcased at the front. The flag will be making one stop in Selma, Alabama before coming to Starkville. Then, the flag will be sent to Orlando for the second anniversary of the Pulse Night Club Massacre.
Ebenhoch said after Orlando, the flag is expected to be retired at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.
Ebenhoch said there will be plenty of opportunities for residents to take photos and touch the flag. He said he wants Starkville to own the flag this weekend.
"This is really a big thing coming into their town and they should be very proud of themselves for it,” Ebenhoch said.”It's ok to fly it, it's ok to be proud of it.”