Flag of Georgia (U.S. state)

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State flag of Georgia

The current flag of Georgia was adopted on May 8, 2003. The flag has three red and white stripes, with the state coat of arms (taken from the state seal) on a blue field in the upper left corner. In the coat of arms, the arch symbolizes the state's Constitution and the pillars represent the three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. The words of the state motto, "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation," are wrapped around the pillars, guarded by a male figure dressed in Colonial attire like a soldier of the American Revolution, with a drawn sword representing the military's defense of the Constitution. An additional motto, In God We Trust, appears under these elements, though it is not part of the state seal nor coat of arms. The thirteen stars surrounding these elements commemorate Georgia's position as one of the original thirteen colonies.

1 Pledge to the Georgia Flag
2 Historic flags
3 Current flag
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Pledge to the Georgia Flag

I pledge allegiance to the Georgia Flag and to the principles for which it stands: Wisdom, Justice, Moderation.

[edit] Historic flags

The state flag used from 1956 to 2001 (see below) featured a prominent Confederate Battle Flag, which a vocal minority of the state's residents found offensive due to memories of its historic use by the Confederate States of America and its current use as a symbol of various white supremacy groups. African-Americans in particular found it offensive, as the emblem was originally adopted not during the American Civil War period but in 1956 during the height of the fight for desegregation. Even in 1956, support for the flag was not unanimous, with the United Daughters of the Confederacy opposing the flag with a prophetic statement that the change "would cause strife."

Twenty-first century adherents of the 1956 flag claimed that the flag was designed to commemorate the upcoming Civil War Centennial five years away.^{[citation needed]} Critics, including Georgia Congressman John Lewis, assert it was only adopted as a symbol of racist protest, especially against the decision of Brown v. Board of Education.^[1] A federal appeals court noted in 1997 that the 1956 resolution changing the flag was part of a larger legislative package that year which included bills rejecting Brown v. Board and following up on then-Governor Marvin Griffin's announcement that "The rest of the nation is looking to Georgia for the lead in segregation." ^[2]

Political pressure for a change in the official state flag increased during the 1990s, in particular during the run-up to the 1996 Olympic Games that were held in Atlanta, Georgia. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) focused on the Georgia flag as a major issue and some business leaders in Georgia felt that the perceptions of the flag were causing economic harm to the state. Governor Zell Miller attempted to get the battle flag element removed, but the state legislature refused to pass any flag-modifying legislation. Many Atlanta residents and some Georgia politicians refused to fly the 1956 flag and flew the pre-1956 flag instead.

Historic Georgia Flags
Before 1879 (unofficial)	1879–1902
1902–1906	1906–1920
1920–1956	1956–2001
2001–2003	2003–present

Miller's successor as Governor, Roy Barnes, responded to the increasing calls for a new state flag, and in 2001 quickly hurried a replacement through the legislature under howls of protest. His new flag sought a compromise, by featuring small versions of some (but not all) of Georgia's former flags, including the controversial 1956 flag, under the words "Georgia's History." Those flags are the original thirteen-star "Betsy Ross" U.S. flag; the first Georgia flag (before 1879); the 1920–1956 Georgia flag; the previous state flag (1956–2001); and the current fifty-star U.S. flag.

The 2001 flag, intended to be less offensive, was not popular. It was perceived as having been "designed by a committee," and was aesthetically complicated, crowded with many small elements. The North American Vexillological Association ranked it as the worst flag in North America by a wide margin, and stated that it "violates all basic rules of flag design."^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Current flag

In 2002 Sonny Perdue was elected governor of Georgia, partially on a platform of allowing Georgians to choose their own flag in a referendum. Perdue disappointed many supporters of the 1956 flag by not pursuing a referendum on the version they favored and instead allowed the Georgia legislature to draft a new flag in 2003.

The legislature's proposed flag combined elements of Georgia's previous flags, creating a composition that was inspired by the Confederate First National flag, the Stars and Bars, rather than the better-known Confederate Battle Flag. Perdue signed the legislature's flag into law in on May 8, 2003.

The 2003 flag legislation also authorized a public referendum on which of the two most recent flags (the 2001 and 2003 versions) would be officially adopted as the flag of the state. The referendum took place during the state's March 2, 2004 presidential primary election. Some "heritage" groups and protesters known as "flaggers" angry with Governor Perdue because the 1956 flag had not been included in the choices called for a boycott of the vote. The 2003 flag was approved by 74.3% of Georgians who voted.

The irony of those who wish a "non-Confederate" flag is that while the new state flag uses elements of the 1879, 1902, 1906, and 1920 state flags, these flags were similar to the first official flag of the Confederate States of America (see Flags of the Confederate States of America). Though the 1956-2001 flag contained the more widely recognized battle flag, the current flag is derived from the CSA national flag, the original symbol of the social and political aspects of the CSA. By continuing to rely on a CSA flag, many goals of the flag change movement were not fully accomplished. The acceptance of the new flag exmplified much of the debate over the relative emphasis on "heritage" and "hate," given that the accepted flag is derived from the CSA national flag. The new state flag resembles the first official Confederate flag ("The Stars and Bars"), except that the Georgia state seal replaces the seven stars in the blue background. The flaggers to this day continue their protests against governor Perdue. Indeed many Georgians continue to fly the 1956 flag despite its lack of official status.

[edit] References

^ Editorial by Congressman John Lewis December 16, 2002. Accessed online November 21, 2006.
^ Coleman v. Miller 1997 decision denying injunction against Governor of Georgia and the Sons of Confederate Veterans for flying the 1956 Georgia state flag. Accessed online November 21, 2006.