Dixie Brands, a Denver-Based Weed Edibles Company, Will Change Name

Dixie Brands, a Denver-based marijuana edibles and drink manufacturer with operations in six states, will change the brand’s name, according to an announcement from the company.

The company is making the move given the historical context of “Dixie,” a word connected to the South with disputed origins dating back to the 1700s; “Dixie,” a nineteenth-century song, became a popular marching tune for the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

The background of “Dixie” has become a topic of national conversation all month, as protests over police brutality and systemic racism have continued across the country. Country music act the Dixie Chicks dropped the word from its name, and now Dixie Brands has followed suit.

In a statement on the Dixie Brands website, the company calls the decision “a small step forward.”

“Recently, the national conversation about racism and injustice has focused our attention to the pain the Dixie name can cause due to the historical context of the word. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Black community, and we stand firmly against racism and injustice,” the statement reads. [Read more at Westword]