Tom Petty apologizes for flying the Confederate flag on 1985 tour

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Florida-born rocker used the flag for song Rebels about southern heritage
But he now admits he had not fully thought through the flag's history
He implores all Americans to denounce the flag as it offends black people
It comes after South Carolina took it down following Charleston attack
Fellow rocker Kid Rock, from the Midwest, has defended the Confederacy

Published: 14:25 EST, 16 July 2015 | Updated: 16:01 EST, 16 July 2015

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Tom Petty has apologized for displaying the Confederate flag during his Southern Accents tour of 1985.

The Florida-born rocker has spoken out to denounce the controversial banner after South Carolina removed it from their statehouse and conceded that to many it is symbol of racial hatred.

Writing in the Rolling Stone, Petty says admits he was 'pretty ignorant' about the history of the flag, and goes as far as to call himself 'downright stupid'.

It comes after other rock singers - such as Midwest-born Kid Rock - defended the flag and continue to sell Confederate merchandise.

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Apology: Rock singer Tom Petty is pictured in 1986 wearing a Confederate flag cap as part of his Southern Accents tour. He has since spoken out to apologize for his misunderstanding of the flag's history

'I was pretty ignorant': The singer implores people to denounce the flag as it symbolizes hatred for many

His words come days after South Carolina removed the controversial banner from their statehouse

Petty wrote: 'People just need to think about how it looks to a black person. It’s just awful. It’s like how a swastika looks to a Jewish person. It just shouldn’t be on flagpoles.'

His use of the flag, he says, came about to illustrate the song Rebels. The song is written from the perspective of a man who 'talks about the traditions that that have been handed down from family to family for so long that he almost feels guilty about the war.'

However, a couple of years later he noticed fans had adopted the flag to associate with him.

Even then, he said, he felt the need to speak out about it.

Confederate flag is removed from South Carolina state capitol

'I noticed people in the audience wearing Confederate flag bandannas and things like that. One night, someone threw one onstage. I stopped everything and gave a speech about it. I said, "Look, this was to illustrate a character. This is not who we are. Having gone through this, I would prefer it if no one would ever bring a Confederate flag to our shows again because this isn’t who we are."'

Controversy surrounding the symbol resurfaced in June when a Confederate flag-touting gunman shot dead nine black churchgoers, shouting: 'I have to do this.'

The shooting prompted national outcry over the fact that the South continues to fly the flag as a symbol of southern heritage.

One hundred and fifty years old, it was used by the seven southern slave states during the civil war. Its racist associations were refreshed during the civil rights movement, when anti-integration state flew the Confederate flag in defiance.

Not all on board: Kid Rock, a fellow rock singer, has refused to denounce the flag

Defiant: Kid Rock, who hails from the Midwest, (pictured in 2011) still sells Confederate merchandise

Petty writes that denouncing the flag is a key step towards resolving America's severe racial divisions that remain today.

'The way we’re losing black men and citizens in general is horrific. What’s going on in society is unforgivable.

'As a country, we should be more concerned with why the police are getting away with targeting black men and killing them for no reason. That’s a bigger issue than the flag.'

Conversely, Kid Rock's response to protesters opposing the Confederate flag was: 'Please tell the people who are protesting to kiss my ass.'

Thousands rally in support of Confederate flag in Florida