History has been made in South Carolina where the state’s legislature has voted to take down the controversial confederate flag from the grounds outside the building.

It was raised more than 50 years ago to protest the civil rights movement and represents the south in the U.S. civil war which was intent on keeping slavery.

Voting by lawmakers took place early this morning after more than 13 hours of passionate and contentious debate.

“It got heated on occasion but everyone understood, and I think respected each other, and in the end we came together and had enough votes to do the right thing,” explained Democrat James Smith.

The renewed push to remove the flag came after pictures surfaced showing the accused in last month’s racially charged Charleston church shooting massacre posing with the Confederate flag.