July 11 (Reuters) - The national board of directors of the prominent civil rights group, the NAACP, voted on Saturday to end its 15-year boycott of South Carolina prompted by the display of the Confederate battle flag on state capitol grounds.

South Carolina removed the flag on Friday to chants of "USA, USA!," after three weeks of emotional debate over the banner, a symbol of slavery and racism to many, but of Southern heritage and pride to others.

"Emergency resolution passed by the NAACP National Board of Directors at #NAACP106, ending the 15 year South Carolina boycott," the NAACP said on its Twitter feed.

The Confederate flag waved atop the state capitol from 1961 to 2000, when it was moved to a Confederate war memorial near the State House entrance.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by David Gregorio)