(CNN) Mississippians who'd like to display their state flag minus its Confederate imagery can rejoice in a newly approved specialty license plate.

The state's flag has long contained an image of the Confederate battle flag, also known as the Southern Cross. Mississippi is the only one of the United States with a flag featuring the Confederate symbol.

However, Gov. Phil Bryant signed a bill last week allowing a new license plate design featuring a revamped state flag by artist Laurin Stennis

Stennis' design, done in 2014, eliminated the Confederate symbol. Instead, it features 19 stars in a circle around a large center star and a red stripe on either side.

The large star in the middle represents Mississippi as the 20th state to join the Union in 1817, Stennis said. The circle of stars symbolizes unity and continuity and pays tribute to the circle and spiral imagery of indigenous peoples' artwork, the artist added.

Read More