Flags in Olive Branch, Mississippi, are not flying at half-mast to honor Dolly Parton despite the president’s and governor’s orders because Mayor Ken Adams says he believes that the government should only lower flags in “extraordinary circumstances.”
Upon Parton’s death on Aug. 25, President Donald Trump ordered all flags in the U.S. to fly at half-mast, and Gov. Tate Reeves made the same announcement for Mississippi flags.
But Olive Branch has not lowered its flags in the five days since those orders.
In a statement on the official Olive Branch Facebook page, Adams said that the deaths of “military heroes, fallen first responders, presidents and other major national leaders, or events that have had a tremendous impact on our country” are the few circumstances that warrant flags at half-mast.
“First, there is no question that Dolly Parton was a great person,” Adams said in an Aug. 28 statement. “She brought happiness to millions of people and has done tremendous things for others throughout her life. I have nothing but respect for her. My concern is different. I believe lowering the American flag to half-staff should mean something very significant.”
The mayor defended his opinion by saying the meaning of the gesture would not be as strong if the government lowered the flag every time a celebrity died. He also cited Home Rule, which gives Mississippi cities the ability to control their own affairs.
“This isn’t about disrespecting Dolly Parton,” Adams said. “It isn’t about politics. And it certainly isn’t about saying she wasn’t a great American. It’s simply my belief that the American flag at half-staff is one of the highest honors we can give, and I believe that honor should be reserved for truly extraordinary circumstances. Sometimes preserving the meaning of an honor means being selective about when we use it.”
Many people in the comment section of the Facebook post stated their disagreement with the mayor’s opinion, including veterans who said Parton deserved the honor of flags flying at half-staff because of the philanthropic work she did throughout her life. The country music star was not only an award-winning singer-songwriter with a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but also known for her generosity. She sent over 300 million books to children worldwide through her Imagination Library; donated $1 million in 2020 for COVID-19 vaccine research that helped lead to the Moderna vaccine; paid for Dollywood employees’ college tuition; and gave millions to people in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee.
“It’s not a slap in the face of veterans because most that I would talk to would think that Dolly served her country (with) honor and distinction,” U.S. Army veteran Mike Watkins commented on the mayor’s post. “Do what you feel like doing, but if the measure of a person is their political aspirations, then you have a lot to learn about the measure of a person.”
Opponents of Adams’ decision have claimed on social media that Olive Branch lowered flags in 2025 for the death of conservative Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. The Mississippi Free Press has not been able to verify this claim, however. The publication called the city’s communications director, Jay Nichols, and left a voice message for him to ask whether the city lowered flags for Kirk. The Mississippi Free Press did not hear back by press time.
Mississippi Free Press stories are always free because we believe everyone should have access to quality journalism. Donations from readers like you make that possible. Please click here to give to help sustain and grow vital, people-over-power journalism for Mississippians.
Readers can sign up for our free newsletters here.
