Flag of Louisiana

Last updated

Louisiana
Flag of Louisiana.svg
Other namesLouisiana flag, Pelican flag
Use Civil and state flag FIAV 110000.svg FIAV normal.svg IFIS Mirror.svg IFIS Vertical normal.svg
Proportion13∶20
AdoptedJuly 1, 1912 (1912-07-01)
(modifications in 2006 and 2010)
DesignA rectangular field of blue with the arms of Louisiana, the pelican vulning herself, in white in the center, with a ribbon beneath, also in white, containing in blue the state motto, "Union Justice Confidence".

The flag of Louisiana consists of a rectangular field of blue with the arms of Louisiana, a pelican vulning herself, in white in the center, with a ribbon beneath, also in white, containing in blue the state motto: "Union Justice Confidence". The flag was officially adopted July 1, 1912, and is often referred to as the Pelican flag. [1]

Contents

History

As early as 1812 the brown pelican appeared on the Louisiana state seal, various militia company colors, and uniform buttons.

First flag

On February 11, 1861, the state adopted a flag with a pale yellow star in a red canton and thirteen blue, white, and red stripes. The first flag was used until the end of the Civil War. [2]

Louisiana Secession Flag.svg Flag of Louisiana (January 1861).svg Flag of Louisiana (February 1861).svg
1861 state flag proposal FIAV proposal.svg 1861 state flag proposal FIAV proposal.svg State flag (1861–1865) FIAV historical.svg

1912 Flag

On June 5, 1912, Rep. William F. Roy of St. Bernard Parish introduced legislation adopting "that flag now in general use" as the state's official flag. The bill was drafted by W. O. Hart of the Louisiana Historical Society. The flag was described at the time as "a solid blue field with the coat of arms of the State, the pelican feeding its young, in white in the center, with a ribbon beneath, also in white, containing in blue the motto of the State, "Union, justice and confidence." [3] The bill passed the Louisiana House of Representatives on June 13 by a vote of 71–1. [4] The state Senate followed suit on June 28, approving the measure 32—0. [5] [6] However, beyond stating that the pelican be rendered "in white," the 1912 law did not specify details about the design of the pelican, its number of chicks, or other details, which to variations in the bird's appearance over the years. [7]

21st-century standardization

During the 19th century it was traditional on the state flag and seal for the pelican in her piety to have three drops of blood on her chest. [8] In later years, however, the tradition (on both the state flag and seal) was haphazardly followed, which was noticed by an eighth-grader at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma, who brought this to the attention of his state legislator. [8]

On May 25, 2006, a law was enacted requiring the flag to include "an appropriate display of three drops of blood" on the pelican's breast; [9] [10] however, it wasn't until November 22, 2010, that a formal redesign of the flag with standardized imagery was formally introduced. [11] [12] Baton Rouge artist Curtis Vann Jr., who was hired to design a standardized pelican for the updated flag, used a more realistic depiction of a brown pelican for his design, although rendered in white as required by law, but he also incorporated the brown pelican's yellow–brown crown. The design also specified an azure field and removed "and" from the banner beneath the pelican's nest. [12] [7]

Flag of Louisiana (1912-2006).svg Flag of Louisiana (2006-2010).svg Flag of Louisiana.svg
State flag (1912–2006) FIAV historical.svg State flag (2006–2010) FIAV historical.svg State flag (2010–present) FIAV normal.svg

Symbolism

Stained glass depiction of The Pelican in Her Piety from a Catholic church in Saint-Bonnet-la-Riviera, France. Saint-Bonnet-la-Riviere eglise oculus.jpg
Stained glass depiction of The Pelican in Her Piety from a Catholic church in Saint-Bonnet-la-Riviera, France.

In medieval lore, pelicans were believed to be attentive to the needs of their chicks to the point of drawing their own blood to feed their chicks when no other food was available. This image of the pelican in her piety came to symbolize the Passion of Jesus and the Eucharist. [13] [14]

William C. C. Claiborne, the first governor of the Orleans Territory, selected a pelican for the territory's first seal and it was a common state symbol prior to being formally adopted in 1912 as part of the state flag. [15]

Pledge of allegiance

The Louisiana Pledge of Allegiance, adopted in 1981, is as follows:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the state of Louisiana and to the motto for which it stands: A state, under God, united in purpose and ideals, confident that justice shall prevail for all of those abiding here." [16]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Bonham, Milledge L., Jr. "The Flags of Louisiana." The Louisiana Historical Quarterly 2.1 (1919): 439-446.
  2. ↑ Madaus, Howard Michael; Legendre, Ken. "Flags of Louisiana". Confederate Flags. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Would Have State Flag". The Times-Democrat. Vol. 49, no. 41369. New Orleans, Louisiana. June 4, 1912. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "House Bills on Final Passage Thursday Night". The Shreveport Journal. Shreveport, Louisiana. June 17, 1912. p. 2. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  5. ↑ "On Final Passage". The Times-Democrat. Vol. 49, no. 41394. New Orleans, Louisiana. June 29, 2012. p. 7.
  6. ↑ Whitney Smith, flag of Louisiana at the Encyclopædia Britannica
  7. 1 2 Miller, Robin (August 7, 2022). "Is the wrong bird on Louisiana's state flag? Curious Louisiana answers". The Advocate. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Eagle-eyed eighth-grader prompts La. flag legislation, April 6, 2006 New Orleans Times-Picayune Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Act 92. La. St. Legis. 2006.
  10. ↑ Hebert, Dave (June 15, 2006). "Louisiana adds blood drops to state flag". The Daily Reveille. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Special Collections hosts talk about Louisiana's new flag". LSU Libraries. November 29, 2010.
  12. 1 2 Anderson, Ed (November 3, 2010). "New Louisiana state flag with bleeding pelican is unfurled". The Times–Picayune. New Orleans, Louisiana. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  13. ↑ Gauding, Madonna (2009). The Signs and Symbols Bible: The Definitive Guide to Mysterious Markings. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Company. p. 263. ISBN   9781402770043 . Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  14. ↑ F. L. Cross; E. A. Livingstone, eds. (2005). pelican (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   9780199566716 . Retrieved June 6, 2022– via oxfordreference.com.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  15. ↑ "W.C.C. Claiborne and The State Seal". One Nation Under God: The Church, The State, and the Louisiana Purchase. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Louisiana State Museum. January 27, 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Louisiana State Pledge of Allegiance". eReferenceDesk. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
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