Flag of Georgia (U.S facts for kids
.svg) |
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| Name | Georgia Stars and Bars |
|---|---|
| Use | Civil and state flag |
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Adopted | May 8, 2003 |
| Design | Three stripes consisting of red, white, red. A blue canton containing a ring of 13 stars encompassing the state's coat of arms in gold. |
The flag of the state of Georgia was chosen on May 8, 2003. This flag has three stripes: red, white, and red. On the left side, there's a blue square called a canton. Inside this blue square, you'll see a circle of 13 white stars. These stars surround Georgia's coat of arms in gold.
The coat of arms has special meanings. The arch stands for the state's constitution, which is like its rulebook. The three pillars represent the three main parts of the government: the lawmakers, the leaders, and the judges. The state motto, "Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation," is wrapped around these pillars. A figure dressed in old colonial clothes guards them. A sword is also shown, meaning the state will defend its constitution. Below these symbols, the words "In God We Trust" are written, acting as the state's foundation. The 13 stars around the coat of arms show that Georgia was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that formed the United States. The flag's design is based on the first national flag of the Confederacy, which was known as the "Stars and Bars."
Contents
Georgia's Flag History
I pledge allegiance to the Georgia Flag and to the principles for which it stands: Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation.
—Pledge of allegiance to the Georgia state flag
| Georgia state flags | |
|---|---|
 Before 1879 (unofficial) |
.svg) 1879–1902 |
.svg) 1902–1906 |
.svg) 1906–1920 |
.svg) 1920–1956 |
.svg) 1956–2001 |
.svg) 2001–2003 |
2003–present |
The 1879 Flag Design
The 1879 flag was created by Georgia state senator Herman H. Perry. It was adopted to remember Confederate soldiers. Perry was a former colonel in the Confederate army. He based the flag's design on the "Stars and Bars," which was the first national flag of the Confederacy. Over many years, small changes were made to this flag.
The 1956 Flag Design
The Georgia state flag used from 1956 to 2001 had a large Confederate battle flag on it. This flag was designed by John Sammons Bell.
The 1956 flag was adopted during a time when Georgia's government was focused on laws that kept people separate based on race, known as segregation. A report from 2000 said that the 1956 change happened because of this desire to keep segregation. Some people who supported the change later said it was to honor Confederate soldiers. However, the 2000 report suggested this reason came much later.
Many people opposed changing the flag in 1956. Some Confederate historical groups thought adding the battle flag would cause too much division. They believed people should show loyalty to the United States. Others didn't want the change because it would cost money to buy new flags.
Over time, there was growing pressure to change the flag. This was especially true before the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta. Groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) made the flag a big issue. Some business leaders felt the flag was hurting the state's economy. In 1992, Governor Zell Miller tried to remove the battle flag part, but lawmakers did not agree. Many people in Atlanta and some politicians chose to fly the older, pre-1956 flag instead.
The 2001 Flag Design
Governor Roy Barnes followed Governor Miller. He responded to the calls for a new state flag. In 2001, he quickly got a new flag approved by the Georgia General Assembly. This new flag was designed by architect Cecil Alexander. It tried to be a compromise by showing small versions of some of Georgia's past flags. These included the controversial 1956 flag, under the words "Georgia's History."
The flags shown were:
- A 13-star U.S. flag (like the "Betsy Ross" design).
- The first Georgia flag (before 1879).
- The 1920–1956 Georgia flag.
- The previous state flag (1956–2001).
- The current 50-star U.S. flag.
In 2001, a group that studies flags, the North American Vexillological Association, ranked this new Georgia flag as the worst. They said it broke all the rules for good flag design. After the 1956 flag was replaced, the city of Trenton adopted a similar design as its city flag. They did this to show their disagreement with the change.
The Current Flag (2003)
In 2002, Sonny Perdue was elected Governor of Georgia. One of his promises was to let Georgians choose their own flag. He allowed the Georgia legislature to create a new flag in 2003.
The new flag combined parts of Georgia's older flags. Its design was inspired by the Confederate First National flag, also known as the "Stars and Bars." Governor Perdue signed this new flag into law on May 8, 2003.
The 2003 law also said that people would vote on which of the two most recent flags (the 2001 or 2003 version) would be the state flag. This vote happened on March 2, 2004, during the state's presidential primary election. If the 2003 flag had been rejected, the design from before 2001 would have been put to a vote. The 2003 design won with 73.1% of the votes.
