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State Flag
Adopted on January 31, 2001; May 8th, 2003 .
On January 31, 2001 Governor Roy Barnes signed into law a bill to change the design of the state flag. For more than 15 years, opponents of the flag rallied and introduced legislation aimed at removing the confederate emblem featured prominently on the 1956 state flag. Because of the controversy, many Georgia cities and private businesses throughout the state refused to fly the official Georgia flag, opting instead to display the pre-1956 version.
In early 2000, Atlanta architect Cecil Alexander brought forth a "compromise" flag design consisting of the state seal, fittingly depicted in "Dahlonega Gold," surrounded by 13 white stars. Below is a gold ribbon containing small images of the three state flags that have flown over Georgia, as well as the current and past versions of the United States flag. Above the small rows of flags is the phrase "Georgia's History."
On January 24, 2001, the Georgia House approved H.B. 16, adopting Alexander's flag design as the new state flag with an amendment to add "In God We Trust" beneath the ribbon of flags. H.B. 16 was then transmitted to the Senate, where it was passed without amendment on January 30, 2001.
New State Flag Rises Over Georgia
Wednesday, January 31, 2001 By Patricia M. Lahay
A new Georgia flag with a much smaller Confederate battle emblem was hoisted above the statehouse Wednesday, nearly a half century after legislators stamped the rebel symbol on the state banner.
The flag was raised quietly and quickly, much like the compromise that Gov. Roy Barnes began hustling through the Legislature one week ago with a surprise unveiling.
The new banner features a gold Georgia seal on a blue background above a ribbon with five tiny historic flags, including the former state flag with the Confederate battle emblem.
Earlier Tuesday, Barnes signed the bill consigning to history the old banner dominated by the rebel fighting emblem, less than 24 hours after the measure won final legislative approval.
Adopted in 1956.
At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, it was agreed that each state, while loyal to the United States flag, should also have its own flag. After the Georgia Seal was adopted in 1799, the first state flag was designed with the Seal centered on a field of blue. In 1879 the General Assembly of Georgia passed an act changing the flag to a vertical band of blue next to the staff occupying one third of the flag; the remainder was divided into three horizontal bands with the upper and lower in red and the middle in white. In 1905 the state Seal was added to the vertical blue band. Having two fields, one of deep blue and the other dark red, the Georgia flag showcases the Battle Flag of the Confederacy and the state seal. On the state seal is the year 1776, the date of the Declaration of Independence. The three pillars stand for the three branches of government Legislative, Executive and the Courts. The arch above the pillars stands for the constitution. A ribbon expresses the ideals of
the constitution "wisdom", "justice" and "moderation". The orignal state flag was designed by John Sammons Bell, an Atlanta attorney, and was adopted as the official flag of Georgia in 1956.
Official description from Georgia Sec. 50-3-1. Description of state flag; militia to carry flag.The flag of the State of Georgia shall be a blue field, centered upon which shall be placed a representation of that side of the great seal of the state described at subsection (c) of Code Section 50-3-30, centered in a circle of 13 equally spaced white mullets or five-pointed stars, and beneath the same shall be an escroll or ribbon, gold, two-thirds the length of the field, bearing the words "Georgia's History" and charged below said words with a representation of five flags horizontally presented as follows: the first, to the left, being that version of the flag of the United States of America consisting of a field of 13 red and white stripes and, centered in a canton of blue, a circle of 13 equally spaced white mullets or five-pointed stars, as adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777 and commonly known as the "Stars and Stripes" or the "1777 Flag"; to the right thereof
a flag consisting of a field of blue, centered upon which shall be placed a representation of the coat of arms of the state as the same appeared on the great seal of the state adopted in 1799, and which flag is commonly known as the "Pre-1879 Georgia State Flag"; to the right thereof a flag consisting of a vertical band of blue occupying the leftmost one-third of the entire flag, on which shall be placed a representation of that side of the great seal of the state approved in 1914 which contained the coat of arms of the state, and the remainder of which flag shall consist of a scarlet field horizontally bisected by a white band such that said band shall be equal in width to the remainder of the scarlet field both above and below, which flag is commonly known as the "Pre-1956 Georgia State Flag"; to the right thereof the flag of the State of Georgia as approved at Ga. L. 1956, p. 38, Section 1; and to the right thereof that version of the flag of the United States of America consisting
of a field of 13 red and white stripes and a canton of blue bearing 50 white mullets or five-pointed stars, such that such flag shall represent the flag of the United States of America as the same appeared on July 4, 1960. And under the horizontal representation of the five flags, the phrase "In God We Trust" shall be written in the blue section and in the same gold color as the State Seal. Every force of the organized militia shall carry this flag when on parade or review.
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