OKLAHOMA CITY — Larry Logan admits that the Confederate battle flag has become a controversial symbol, but that won’t stop him and perhaps a hundred others from waving it at the state Capitol for the first time in decades.

The last time supporters of the flag gathered en masse at the Capitol was in the 1990s, as lawmakers debated whether the banner that flew over Southern armies during the Civil War should continue to fly on the south side of the Capitol.

The Legislature ultimately voted to lower the flag.

Logan, adjutant of the Lt. Col. Jackson F. McCurtain chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Moore, is helping to plan a rebirth of the Confederate flag rally on the afternoon of March 5. More than a dozen similar events, organized by the Sons of Confederate Veterans, are expected elsewhere in the country.

Logan, 70, who lives in Oklahoma City, said the past year has been “tough” for those who want to celebrate their Confederate heritage.

“We’ve been likened to people who have hateful hearts,” he said. “This rally is trying to take a first step in trying to restore the dignity of the Confederate solider.”

Given his roots, it’s unsurprising that Logan is such an ardent defender of the flag and its history. His ancestor, Robert Donald Logan, fought under the “Stars and Bars” during the Civil War.

His thumb shot off during the Battle of Gettysburg, Robert Logan spent the last days of the Civil War as a northern prisoner of war. He died nearly two decades before Larry Logan was born.

Still, the mere idea of a rally around the Confederate flag causes some lawmakers to bristle.

“I’m not in support of flying that flag,” says state Sen. Anastasia Pittman, former chairwoman of the state’s Black Legislative Caucus.

Pittman said the flag’s history has made it a symbol of discord and inequality, and it is sometimes used to promote ulterior motives.

She said it’s “unfortunate” that just one symbol, and such a controversial one, is associated with soldiers who sacrificed their lives.

“Veterans wear many symbols of honor and commitment and service,” she said.

Sen. Kevin Matthews, current chairman of the Black Legislative Caucus and a Tulsa Democrat, said he respects the decision that earlier lawmakers made not to fly the flag at the Capitol.

Still, he believes that every person has a right to rally, particularly at their state’s Capitol.

“Although, I’m not in favor of raising that flag again,” he added.

“I’m not saying that everybody who agrees with it is a bad person. I’m not saying that it causes hatred,” he said. “I’m just saying, the symbol has been used, unfortunately, in ways to support division instead of unity.”

Logan acknowledges the flag elicits controversy and strong feelings. Apart from the Confederacy’s defense of slavery, its battle flag has since been brandished by Southern segregationists and, in more recent times, white supremacists.

But Logan said those who wave the flag with racially charged notices don’t reflect his group’s interests.

“We are not that. We are a proud organization,” he said. “We’re proud of who we were, and we’re proud of who are ancestors are.”

He insists that his group does not espouse hate. He angrily recalls the “nut” in South Carolina who posted images of himself with the Confederate battle flag before killing members of a Bible study group at a black church in South Carolina.

In the aftermath of that shooting, which killed nine church members including a pastor, Confederate flags have been removed from public displays, statues of those who fought for the South have been taken down, and names of schools have been changed.

“You cannot lump us into that same category as some guy who wears a hood and burns a cross,” Logan said, adding that any white supremacists who show up at the rally will be asked to leave.

“We want to tell our story, and we want to tell it in ways that people will listen to it,” said Logan, who admitted that it may be difficult for some Oklahomans to swallow that.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans, based in Columbia, Tenn., boasts more than 30,000 members. Each must have an ancestor who fought for the Confederacy.

Two years ago, Logan said his local chapter had a membership of seven. Its ranks have since swelled to 44. Its growth, he said, is driven by “increasing awareness” among those whose ancestors fought for the Confederacy.

“They’re basically under assault. Their ancestors are being denigrated daily,” he said.

After the Civil War, Logan said his ancestor lost everything in Alabama. He drifted to Mississippi, then to the area that later became Oklahoma.

Logan learned through research that his ancestor rebuilt his life and was highly regarded. He now visits his grave every three months to tend it and ensure that a Confederate flag sits on it.

Few may want to talk about the bravery of the Confederate soldier, Logan said, but he is intent on doing his part to make sure his ancestor is remembered for his service.

Janelle Stecklein covers the Oklahoma Statehouse for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach her at jstecklein@cnhi.com