Image: Black California Bear Flag

Description: On the 14th June, 1846, a party of Americans, without a leader, gathered and took possession of the fortified town of Sonoma, on the north side of the Bay of San Francisco, and made prisoners of three Mexican officers, a General, a Lieutenant Colonel and Captain. On the same day there was a partial organization, under the name of the " Republic of California," and agreed to hoist a flag made of a piece of white cotton cloth with one red strip on the bottom, and on the white a grizzly bear with a single star in front of him; it was painted or rather stained with lamp-lack and pokeberries. Along the top was the words " Republic of California." -Sacramento Daily Union, 24 August 1855

(https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SDU18550824.2.6&srpos=4&e=------185-en--20--1--txt-txIN-+State+flag+-------)
Usage Terms: Public domain