Earlier today, the world watched as South Carolina removed the Confederate flag from South Carolina Capitol grounds, ending its 54-year run. More inside...

This morning at 10 a.m. ET, all eyes were on the state of South Carolina while the Confederate flag was removed from state grounds.  The #TakeItDown movement on social media and actions from Congress finally paid off today.

On the heels of Walter Scott's shooting by a South Carolina policeman, and tragic shooting of nine people in the oldest AME church in the south by a racist killer, the focus on race has now encompassed the Confederate flag it's removal has made headline news around the globe.

A crowd of hundreds erupted in cheers, and sang farewell songs ("Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye") as uniformed highway patrol officers lowered the flag from a pole next to a soldiers' monument. President Obama tweeted,

The officers handed the flag to one of the state's two black Cabinet-level officials, Department of Public Safety Director Leroy Smith,  who had the flag taken to a state military museum nearby where it will be exhibited.

The symbolic removal happened one day after Gov. Nikki Haley, who argued for the flag's removal after the murder of 9 Black church members, signed the bill calling for it to come down.

Going forwar, the NAACP says it will move to lift its 15-year economic boycott against the state during a national convention this weekend.

Watch the removal here: