City Discussing Options Regarding Confederate Flag at Cemetery

TYLER — Tyler city leaders are discussing what to do about Confederate flags flying at historic Oakwood Cemetery on W. Oakwood Street. Assistant City Manager Susan Guthrie said the mayor and two council members met Wednesday morning to talk about how the community can work together to best resolve the situation and handle similar concerns in the future. The city says it wants to create a plan to preserve history and respect everyone buried in the cemetery. Of particular concern is a Confederate flag — not the battle flag — flying from a pole at the cemetery. Guthrie says some African-Americans and Jewish people are buried at Oakwood. Small Confederate flags were removed from the cemetery earlier this week, but Guthrie says the city was not behind that action. A formal vote on any removal has not taken place.