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'[[File:Our Heroes and Our Flags 1896.jpg|thumb|right|Four versions of the flag of the Confederate States of America are shown on this print from 1896. Standing at the center are [[Stonewall Jackson]], [[P. G. T. Beauregard]], and [[Robert E. Lee]], surrounded by bust portraits of [[Jefferson Davis]] and Confederate Army officers.]] There were several '''flags of the Confederate States of America''' used during its existence from 1861 to 1865. Since the end of the [[American Civil War]], personal and official use of [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] flags, and of flags derived from these, has continued under some controversy. The state flags of [[Flag of Mississippi|Mississippi]] and [[Flag of Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]<!--Do not remove the Georgia flag without justifying your actions on the talk page first--> are based on Confederate flags. The flag of [[Flag of North Carolina|North Carolina]] is based on the state's 1861 flag, which dates back to the Confederacy and appears to be based on the first Confederate flag. The flags of [[Flag of Alabama|Alabama]] and [[Flag of Florida|Florida]] appear to be of Confederate inspiration, but are probably derived from the [[Cross of Burgundy flag]], which flew over the territory of [[Spanish Florida]]. ==National flags== ===First national flag ("the Stars and Bars")=== The first official flag of the Confederacy, called the "'''Stars and Bars'''," was flown from March 5, 1861, to May 26, 1863. The first national flag of the Confederacy was designed by [[Prussia]]n artist [[Nicola Marschall]] in [[Marion, Alabama]].<ref>{{cite journal |last= Hume |first= Erskine |title= The German Artist Who Designed the Confederate Flag and Uniform |journal= The American-German Review |year= 1940 |month= August}}</ref> The Stars and Bars flag was adopted March 4, 1861 in [[Montgomery, Alabama]] and raised over the dome of that first Confederate Capitol. Marschall also designed the Confederate uniform.<ref>[http://www.archives.state.al.us/marschall/german.html Nicola Marschall]</ref> One of the first acts of the [[Provisional Confederate Congress]] was to create the Committee on the Flag and Seal, chaired by [[William Porcher Miles]] of [[South Carolina]]. The committee asked the public to submit thoughts and ideas on the topic and was, as historian John M. Coski puts it, "overwhelmed by requests not to abandon the 'old flag' of the [[Flag of the United States|United States]]." Miles had already designed a flag that would later become the Confederate battle flag, and he favored his flag over the "Stars and Bars" proposal. But given the popular support for a flag similar to the U.S. flag ("the Stars and Stripes"), the Stars and Bars design was approved by the committee.<ref>{{harv|Coski|2005|pp=4–5}}</ref> When war broke out, the Stars and Bars caused confusion on the battlefield because of its similarity to the U.S. flag of the [[U.S. Army]].<ref name="autogenerated2">{{harv|Coski|2005|p=8}}</ref> Eventually, a total of 13 stars would be shown on the flag, reflecting the Confederacy's claims to have admitted [[Kentucky]] and [[Missouri]] into their union. The first public appearance of the 13-star flag was outside the [[Ben Johnson House (Bardstown, Kentucky)|Ben Johnson House]] in [[Bardstown, Kentucky]]. The 13-star design was also used as the basis of a naval [[ensign]]. <gallery> File:CSA FLAG 4.3.1861-21.5.1861.svg|First national flag with 7 stars<br><small> (4 Mar 1861 – 21 May 1861)</small> File:CSA Flag 21.5.1861-2.7.1861.svg|First national flag with 9 stars<br><small> (21 May 1861 – 2 Jul 1861)</small> File:CSA Flag 2.7.1861-28.11.1861.svg|First national flag with 11 stars<br><small> (2 Jul 1861 – 28 Nov 1861)</small> File:CSA FLAG 28.11.1861-1.5.1863.svg|First national flag with 13 stars<br><small> (28 Nov 1861 – 26 May 1863<ref name=CSAflag>[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/US_govt_CSA.html Confederate States of America government]</ref>)</small> </gallery> {{Clear}} ===Second national flag ("the Stainless Banner")=== During the solicitation for the second national flag, there were many different types of designs that were proposed, nearly all making use of the battle flag, which by 1863 had become well-known and popular. The new design was specified by the Confederate Congress to be a white field "with the union (now used as the battle flag) to be a square of two-thirds the width of the flag, having the ground red; thereupon a broad saltier [sic] of blue, bordered with white, and emblazoned with mullets or five-pointed stars, corresponding in number to that of the Confederate States."<ref>{{harv|Coski|The Second Confederate National Flag], Flags of the Confederacy}}</ref> The nickname "stainless" referred to the pure white field. The flag act of 1864 did not state what the white symbolized and advocates offered various interpretations. The most common interpretation is that the white field symbolized the purity of the Cause. The Confederate Congress debated whether the white field should have a blue stripe and whether it should be bordered in red. William Miles delivered a speech for the simple white design that was eventually approved. He argued that the battle flag must be used, but for a national flag it was necessary to emblazon it, but as simply as possible, with a plain white field.<ref>{{harv|Coski|2005|pp=16–17}}</ref> The flags actually made by the Richmond Clothing Depot used the 1.5:1 ratio adopted for the Confederate Navy's battle ensign, rather than the official 2:1 ratio.<ref name="fotc">[http://www.confederateflags.org/national/FOTCsbr.htm The Second Confederate National Flag], Flags of the Confederacy</ref> Initial reaction to the second national flag was favorable, but over time it became criticized for being "too white". The Columbia ''Daily South Carolinian'' observed that it was essentially a battle flag upon a flag of truce and might send a mixed message. Military officers voiced complaints about the flag being too white, for various reasons, including the danger of being mistaken as a [[white flag|flag of truce]], especially on naval ships, and that it was too easily soiled.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{harv|Coski|2005|pp=17–18}}</ref> This flag is nonetheless a historical symbol of the civil war. <gallery> File:Confederate National Flag since Mai 1 1863 to Mar 4 1865.svg|Second national flag <br><small>(26 May 1863 – 4 Mar 1865<ref name=CSAflag />)</small>, 2:1 ratio Image:Confederate States Naval Ensign after May 26 1863.svg|Second national flag, Confederate Navy ensign, 1.5:1 ratio </gallery> ===Third national flag ("the Blood Stained Banner")=== [[File:Confederate National Flag since Mar 4 1865.svg|thumb|right|Third National flag ("The Blood Stained Banner"<br><small>(since 4 Mar 1865)</small>]] The third national flag was adopted March 4, 1865, just before the fall of the Confederacy. The red vertical stripe was proposed by Major Arthur L. Rogers, who argued that the pure white field of the second national flag could be mistaken as a flag of truce. When hanging limp in no wind, the flag's ''Southern Cross'' canton could accidentally stay hidden, so the flag could mistakenly appear all white. Rogers lobbied successfully to have this alteration introduced in the Confederate Senate. He defended his redesign as having "as little as possible of the Yankee blue", and described it as symbolizing the primary origins of the people of the South, with the cross of Britain and the red bar from the flag of France.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> The Flag Act of 1865 describes the flag in the following language: "The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the flag of the Confederate States shall be as follows: The width two-thirds of its length, with the union (now used as the battle flag) to be in width three-fifths of the width of the flag, and so proportioned as to leave the length of the field on the side of the union twice the width of the field below it; to have the ground red and a broad blue [[saltire]] thereon, bordered with white and emblazoned with five pointed stars, corresponding in number to that of the Confederate States; the field to be white, except the outer half from the union to be a red bar extending the width of the flag."<ref>[http://www.confederateflags.org/national/FOTC3dnat.htm The Third Confederate National Flag], Flags of the Confederacy</ref> ==Other flags== [[File:Bonnieblue.svg|right|thumb|Bonnie Blue Flag<br>Unofficial Southern Flag]] In addition to the national flags, a wide variety of flags and banners were flown by Southerners during the War. Most famously, the "[[Bonnie Blue Flag]]" was used as an unofficial flag during the early months of 1861. It was flying above the Confederate batteries that first opened fire on Fort Sumter. The [[Van Dorn battle flag]] was also carried by Confederate troops fighting in the Trans-Mississippi and Western theaters of war. In addition, many military units had their own regimental flags they would carry into battle. Other notable flags used are shown below.<ref>[[North & South - The Official Magazine of the Civil War Society]], Volume 11, Number 2, Page 30, accessed April 16, 2010, [http://www.northandsouthmagazine.com/images/volume11/ind11-1.pdf "The Stars and Bars"]</ref> ===The Battle Flag===<!-- This section is linked from [[Kentucky]] --> Often referred to as ''The'' battle flag of the Confederacy it was the design that was the basis of more than 180 separate Confederate military battle flags.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}} The [[Army of Northern Virginia]] battle flag was usually square, of various sizes for the different branches of the service: 48&nbsp;inches square for the infantry, 36&nbsp;inches for the artillery, and 30&nbsp;inches for the cavalry. It was used in battle beginning in December 1861 until the fall of the Confederacy. The blue color on the saltire in the battle flag was navy blue, as opposed to the much lighter blue of the Naval Jack. The flag's stars represented the number of states in the Confederacy. The distance between the stars decreased as the number of states increased, reaching thirteen when the secessionist factions of [[Missouri]] and [[Kentucky]] joined in late 1861.<ref>{{harv|Coski|2005|p=11}}</ref> [[File:Battle flag of the US Confederacy.svg|200px|thumb|left|The Battle Flag of the Confederacy]] At the [[First Battle of Bull Run|First Battle of Manassas]], the similarity between the Stars and Bars and the Stars and Stripes caused confusion and military problems. Regiments carried flags to help commanders observe and assess battles in the warfare of the era. At a distance, the two national flags were hard to tell apart. In addition, Confederate regiments carried many other flags, which added to the possibility of confusion. After the battle, [[General (CSA)|General]] [[P.G.T. Beauregard]] wrote that he was "resolved then to have [our flag] changed if possible, or to adopt for my command a 'Battle flag', which would be Entirely different from any State or Federal flag."<ref name="autogenerated2" /> He turned to his aide, who happened to be William Porcher Miles, the former chair of Committee on the Flag and Seal. Miles described his rejected national flag design to Beauregard. Miles also told the Committee on the Flag and Seal about the general's complaints and request for the national flag to be changed. The committee rejected this idea by a four to one vote, after which Beauregard proposed the idea of having two flags. He described the idea in a letter to his commander General [[Joseph E. Johnston]]: "I wrote to [Miles] that we should have ''two'' flags—a ''peace'' or parade flag, and a ''war'' flag to be used only on the field of battle—but congress having adjourned no action will be taken on the matter—How would it do us to address the War Dept. on the subject of Regimental or badge flags made of red with two blue bars crossing each other diagonally on which shall be introduced the stars, ... We would then on the field of battle know our friends from our Enemies."<ref name="autogenerated2" /> [[File:SC-SovFlag.svg|right|thumb|200px|Sovereignty or Secession Flag]] The flag that Miles had favored when he was chair of the Committee on the Flag and Seal eventually became the battle flag and, ultimately, the most popular flag of the Confederacy. According to historian John Coski, Miles' design was inspired by one of the many "secessionist flags" flown at the South Carolina secession convention of December, 1860. That flag was a blue [[St George's Cross]] (an upright or Latin cross) on a red field, with 15 white stars on the cross, representing the Confederate States (assumed to be the 15 [[Slave and free states|slave states]]), and, on the red field, palmetto and crescent symbols. Miles received a variety of feedback on this design, including a critique from Charles Moise, a self-described "Southerner of Jewish persuasion". Moise liked the design, but asked that "the symbol of a particular religion not be made the symbol of the nation." Taking this into account, Miles changed his flag, removing the palmetto and crescent, and substituting a heraldic saltire ("X") for the upright one. The number of stars was changed several times as well. He described these changes and his reasons for making them in early 1861. The diagonal cross was preferable, he wrote, because "it avoided the religious objection about the cross (from the Jews and many Protestant sects), because it did not stand out so conspicuously as if the cross had been placed upright thus." He also argued that the diagonal cross was "more Heraldric [sic] than Ecclesiastical, it being the 'saltire' of Heraldry, and significant of strength and progress."<ref>{{harv|Coski|2005|p=5}} describes the 15 stars and the debate on religious symbolism</ref> Although Miles described his flag as a heraldic saltire, it had been thought to be erroneously described since the latter part of the 19th century as a cross, specifically a [[Saint Andrew|Saint Andrew's Cross]]. Supposedly this folk legend sprang from the memoirs of an aging Confederate officer published in 1893. However, further research has indicated that this was no folk legend. In 1863, during the session in which the Confederate Congress was voting on the 2nd National Flag, William G. Swan of Tennessee's second congressional district wished to substitute the following language: <blockquote> That the flag of the Confederate States shall be as follows:<br /> A red field with a Saint Andrew's cross of blue edged with white and emblazoned with stars. </blockquote> Swan, who before the secession had been mayor of Knoxville and attorney general of Tennessee, had adapted his proposal from the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, but it was in fact identical to the flag proposed by William Porcher Miles in March 1861. Because he believed that the battle flag had been sanctified by the blood of Southern soldiers in their struggle for independence, Swan wished to adopt it for use by the nation now as a tribute to the valor of the Confederate fighting man. Further references to the link between the battle flag and the St. Andrew's Cross are made by Confederate soldiers during the war. According to Coski, the Saint Andrew's Cross had no special place in Southern iconography at the time, and if Miles had not been eager to conciliate the Southern Jews his flag would have used the traditional Latin, Saint George's Cross. A colonel named James B. Walton submitted a battle flag design essentially identical to Miles' except with an upright Saint George's cross, but Beauregard chose the diagonal cross design.<ref>{{harv|Coski|2005|pp=6–8}}</ref> Specifically, the St. Andrew's Cross is a white saltire on a blue field, as in the national flag of Scotland. The St. Patrick's Cross, as in the state flag of Alabama, is a red saltire on a white field. The Army of Northern Virginia battle flag has a blue saltire on a red field and is, therefore, neither the St. Andrew's nor the St. Patrick's Cross but a saltire as in the proposed but unadopted Second National flag. Miles' flag, and all the flag designs up to that point, were rectangular ("oblong") in shape. General Johnston suggested making it square instead to conserve material. Johnston also specified the various sizes to be used by different types of military units. Generals Beauregard and Johnston and Quartermaster General Cabell approved the design of the 12-star Confederate Battle Flag at the Ratcliffe home, which served briefly as Beauregard’s headquarters, near Fairfax Court House in September 1861. The 12th star represented Missouri. President Jefferson Davis arrived by train at Fairfax Station soon after and was shown the design for the new battle flag at the Ratcliffe House. [[Hetty Cary]] and her sister and [[Constance Cary Harrison|cousin]] made prototypes. One such 12-star flag resides in the collection of Richmond’s Museum of the Confederacy and the other is in Confederate Memorial Hall in New Orleans. On November 28, 1861, Confederate soldiers in the Army of Northern Virginia received the new battle flags in ceremonies at Centreville and Manassas, Virginia, and carried them throughout the Civil War. Beauregard gave a speech encouraging the soldiers to treat this new flag with honor and that it must never be surrendered. Many soldiers wrote home about the ceremony and the impression the flag had upon them, the "fighting colors" boosting morale after the confusion at the Battle of First Manassas. From that point on, the battle flag only grew in its identification with the Confederacy and the South in general.<ref>{{harv|Coski|2005|p=10}}</ref> Later, a 13th star was added for Kentucky. The Army of Northern Virginia battle flag assumed a prominent place post-war when it was adopted as the copyrighted emblem of the United Confederate Veterans. Its continued use by the UCV and the later Sons of Confederate Veterans led to the assumption that it was, as it has been termed, "the soldier's flag" or "the Confederate battle flag". The flag is also properly known as the flag of the [[Army of Northern Virginia]]. It was sometimes called "Beauregard's flag" or "the Virginia battle flag". A Virginia Department of Historic Resources marker declaring Fairfax, Virginia, as the birthplace of the Confederate battle flag was dedicated on April 12, 2008, near the intersection of Main and Oak Streets, Fairfax, VA.<ref>http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=7095</ref><ref>http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/pdf_files/Notes_On_Virginia_08.FINAL.Web.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.fairfaxrifles.org/Photos-Fx_Mkr_Ded.html</ref> The [[Sons of Confederate Veterans]] consider themselves the direct heirs of their ancestors' battle flags. ===Naval jacks and ensigns=== The practice of using primary and secondary naval flags after the British tradition was common practice for the Confederacy, linked as she was by both heritage and economy to the British Isles. The fledgling Confederate Navy therefore adopted and used jacks, battle ensigns, and small boat ensigns, as well as commissioning pennants, designating flags, and signal flags aboard its warships. The First Confederate Navy [[Maritime_flags#Jacks|Jack]], in use from 1861 to 1863, consisted of a circle of seven to fifteen 5-pointed white stars against a field of light to medium blue. It was flown forward aboard all Confederate warships while they were anchored in port. One 7-star jack still exists today (from the captured ironclad [[CSS Atlanta]]) that is actually a dark blue color. The Second Confederate Navy Jack was a rectangular precursor of the Confederate Army's battle flag and was in use from 1863 until 1865. It existed in a variety of dimensions and sizes, despite the CSN's detailed naval regulations. The blue color of the diagonal saltire's ''Southern Cross'' was much lighter than the dark blue of the battle flag. The ''Southern Cross'' design was originally proposed by South Carolina Congressman William Porcher Miles with the intent to be the first national flag, but it was rejected by the Confederate government. Some critics supposedly scoffed at the design, saying it looked too much like crossed pants [[suspenders]]. While the square battle flag was widely used, the rectangular, upside down, and oblong version was also used by some army units. This included the [[Army of Tennessee]], which used it as their battle flag from 1864 until the end of the war in 1865. After General Joseph Johnston took command of the Army of Tennessee from Braxton Bragg, he ordered its army-wide implementation to improve morale and avoid confusion. <gallery> File:Jack of the CSA Navy 1861 1863.svg|The First Confederate Navy Jack, 1861–1863 File:Conf Navy Jack (light blue).svg|The Second Confederate Navy Jack, 1863–1865 File:CSA FLAG 4.3.1861-21.5.1861.svg|The First Confederate Navy Ensign,1861–1863</small> File:Confederate States Naval Ensign after May 26 1863.svg|The Second Confederate Navy Ensign, 1863–1865 </gallery> The first national flag, also known as the [[Stars and Bars]] (see above), served as the Confederate Navy's first battle ensign from 1861 to 1863. It was generally made with an aspect ratio of 2:3, but a few wide 1:2 ratio ensigns still survive today in museums and private collections. As the Confederacy grew, so did the numbers of white stars seen on the ensign's dark blue canton: 7, 9, 11, and 13 star groupings were typical. Even a few 14 and 15 starred ensigns were made to include states that were expected to secede but never joined the Confederacy. The second national flag was later adapted as a [[Maritime_flags#Ensigns|naval ensign]], using a shorter 2:3 ratio than the 1:2 ratio adopted by the Confederate Congress for the national flag. This particular battle ensign was the only one taken around the world (on board [[CSS Shenandoah|CSS ''Shenandoah'']]) and was the last Confederate flag lowered in the Civil War (in [[Liverpool]], [[England]] on 7 November 1865 aboard CSS ''Shenandoah''). ==The Confederate Flag== [[File:Confederate Rebel Flag.svg|thumb|right|The "Confederate Flag", a rectangular variant of the Battle Flag.]] A rectangular variant of the battle flag used by some Confederate Army Units, now called "The Confederate Flag" or "The Confederate Battle Flag", despite its never having historically represented the CSA as a nation,{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} has become a widely recognized symbol of [[U.S. Southern States|the South]]. It is also called the '''"rebel"''', or '''"[[Dixie]]" flag''', and is often incorrectly referred to as the "Stars and Bars" (the actual "Stars and Bars" is the First National Flag, which used an entirely different design). During the first half of the 20th century the Confederate flag enjoyed renewed popularity. During [[World War II]] some U.S. military units with Southern nicknames, or made up largely of Southerners, made the flag their unofficial emblem. The {{USS|Columbia|CL-56}} flew a Confederate Navy Ensign as a battle flag throughout combat in the South Pacific in World War II. This was done in honor of [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia]], the ship's namesake and the capital city of South Carolina, the first state to secede from the Union. Some soldiers carried Confederate flags into battle. After the [[Battle of Okinawa]] a Confederate flag was raised over [[Shuri Castle]] by a [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] from the self-styled "Rebel Company" (Company A of the [[1st Battalion 5th Marines|1st Battalion, 5th Marines]]). It was visible for miles and was taken down after three days on the orders of General [[Simon B. Buckner, Jr.]] (son of Confederate general [[Simon Bolivar Buckner, Sr.|Simon Buckner]]), who stated that it was inappropriate as "Americans from all over are involved in this battle". It was replaced with the flag of the United States.<ref>{{harv|Coski|2005|p=91}}</ref> By the end of World War II, the use of the Confederate flag in the military was rare.<ref>{{harv|Coski|2005|pp=92–94}}</ref> ==Controversy== ===Displaying the flag=== The display of the Confederate flag remains a highly controversial and emotional topic, generally because of disagreement over its symbolism. Some groups use the Southern Cross as one of the [[symbol]]s associated with their organizations, including [[racist]] groups such as the [[Neo-Nazis]] and the [[Ku Klux Klan]].<ref>Martinez, James Michael; Richardson, William Donald; McNinch-Su, Ron (2000). ''Confederate symbols in the contemporary South.'' University Press of Florida. p. 15.</ref> The flag is also sometimes used by separatist organizations such as the [[Aryan Nations]]. The Aryan Nation also uses the U.S. flag as well as the [[Christian flag]] displayed in some Protestant churches. Supporters of the flag view it as a symbol of southern heritage and the independence of the distinct cultural tradition of the South from Northern government. Due to its ban in some schools and universities that have viewed it as a racist symbol, display of the flag has, in these contexts, also been considered an exercise of [[free speech]].<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/12/national/main5238441.shtml Student's Confederate Flag Suit Thrown Out]. [[CBS News]]. August 12, 2009.</ref> Some [[White people|White]] southerners{{Who|date=May 2010}} claim that they see the flag as merely a symbol of southern culture without any political or racial connotation.{{Citation needed|date=May 2010}} An example of this would be the Bocephus Rebel Flag often sold at concerts performed by [[country music]] star [[Hank Williams, Jr]] or [[Kevin Fowler]], [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band [[Pantera]], and [[southern rock]] band [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]]. For some,{{Who|date=May 2010}} the flag represents only a past era of southern sovereignty.<ref>"[http://www.springerlink.com/content/tl560310224kt623/ Symbols and the world system: National anthems and flags]", KA Cerulo – Sociological Forum, 1993 – Springer</ref> Some historical societies such as the [[Sons of Confederate Veterans]] and the [[United Daughters of the Confederacy]] also use the flag as part of their symbols. Some [[rockabilly]] fans hold the Confederate flag as their emblem as well.<ref name="bad.eserver.org">Rentschler, Carrie (December 2005). [http://bad.eserver.org/issues/2006/74/rentschler.html The Confederate Flag in East Montreal]. Bad Subjects.</ref> The flag is a regular cultural meme, often appearing in association with a character intended to represent a [[stereotypical]] Southerner. As a result of these varying perceptions, there have been a number of political controversies surrounding the use of the Confederate flag in Southern [[Flags of the U.S. states|state flags]], at sporting events, at Southern universities, and on public buildings. According to Civil War historian and native Southerner [[Shelby Foote]], the flag traditionally represented the South's resistance to [[Northern United States|Northern]] political dominance; it became racially charged during the [[African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968)|Civil Rights Movement]] of the 1950s and 1960s, when fighting against desegregation suddenly became the focal point of that resistance. Symbols of the Confederacy remain a contentious issue across the [[United States]] and have been debated vigorously in many Southern [[state legislature (United States)|state legislatures]] over their civic placement since the 1990s. ====Display at the South Carolina capitol==== [[File:SC State House at evening.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The [[South Carolina State House]], site of the 2000 controversy]] On April 12, 2000, the [[South Carolina State Senate]] passed a bill to remove the Confederate flag from the top of the [[South Carolina State House|State House]] dome by a majority vote of 36 to 7. Originally placed there in 1962,<ref>{{cite news | last = Brunner| first = Borgna |title = South Carolina's Confederate Flag Comes Down | date = 2000-06-30 | url = http://www.infoplease.com/spot/confederate4.html| accessdate = 2007-04-19 }}</ref>{{By whom|date=April 2010}} "the new bill specified that a more traditional version of the battle flag would be flown in front of the Capitol next to a monument honoring fallen Confederate soldiers." The bill also passed the state's [[South Carolina House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], but not without some difficulty. On May 18, 2000, after the bill was modified to ensure that the height of the flag's new pole would be {{convert|30|ft|m|0}}, it was passed by a majority of 66 to 43. [[Governor of South Carolina|Governor]] [[Jim Hodges]] signed the bill into law five days later after it passed the state Senate. On July 1, 2000 the flag was removed from atop the State House by two students from [[The Citadel]], one white, and one black, and placed on a monument on the front lawn of the capitol. Current state law prohibits the flag's removal from the State House grounds without additional legislation. In 2005, two [[Western Carolina University]] researchers found that 74% of [[African-Americans]] polled favored removing the flag from the [[South Carolina State House]] altogether.<ref> {{Citation |last1=Cooper |first1=Christopher A. |author1-link=Christopher Cooper |last2=Knotts |first2=H. Gibbs |author2-link=H. Gibbs Knotts |title=Beyond Dixie: Race, Region, and Support for the South Carolina Confederate Flag |journal=Social Science Quarterly |volume=87 |issue=2 |pages=9 |date= |year=2006 |url=http://paws.wcu.edu/ccooper/beyonddixie.pdf |format=PDF|doi=10.1111/j.0038-4941.2006.00373.x |id= }}</ref> The [[NAACP]] and other civil rights groups have attacked the flag's continued presence at the state capitol. The NAACP maintains an official economic boycott of [[South Carolina]], citing its continued display of the battle flag on its State House grounds, despite an initial agreement to call off the boycott after it was removed from the State House dome. The [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] has prevented South Carolina from hosting any championship sporting events in which the sites are determined in advance.<ref> {{cite news | last = | first = | coauthors = | title = NCAA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APPROVES RESOLUTION REGARDING SOUTH CAROLINA'S CONFEDERATE FLAG ISSUE | work = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = 2000-04-28 | url = http://www.ncaa.org/releases/divi/2000042801d1.htm | accessdate = 2007-05-05 }}</ref> This NCAA ban on post-season championships in South Carolina has been strictly enforced, with the exception of [[Historically black colleges and universities|HBCU]] [[Benedict College]]. In both 2007 and 2009, the school hosted the post-season [[Pioneer Bowl]] game, in violation of the NCAA ban, though no action was taken.<ref> {{cite news | last = | first = | coauthors = | title = Golden Tigers Win Pioneer Bowl XI | work = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = 2000-04-28 | url = http://thesiac.com/2009/11/25/golden-tigers-win-pioneer-bowl-xi/ | accessdate = 2007-05-05 }}</ref> On April 14, 2007, [[Steve Spurrier]], coach of the [[University of South Carolina]] [[South Carolina Gamecocks football|football team]], made an acceptance speech for a community service award in which he referred to the flag on the State House grounds as "that damn flag". This statement was also inspired by the actions a local fraternity on that same day, whose members created controversy as they waved the battle flag while being videotaped for ''[[SportsCenter]]''.<ref> {{cite news | last = [[Associated Press]] | first = | coauthors = | title = Spurrier: Flag should come down from S.C. Statehouse | work = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = 2007-04-16 | url = http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2837735 | accessdate = 2007-05-05 }}</ref> On July 6, 2009, the [[Atlantic Coast Conference]] announced a decision to move three future baseball tournaments out of South Carolina citing miscommunications with the NAACP concerning the display of the Confederate flag in the state.<ref> {{cite news | last = Associated Press | first = | coauthors = | title = ACC moves 3 future baseball tourneys | work = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date = 2009-07-06 | url = http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=4309688 | accessdate = 2009-07-06 }}</ref> ===Use in State Flags=== ====Alabama==== [[File:Flag of Alabama.svg|thumb|right|200px|[[Flag of Alabama]]]] {{Main|Flag of Alabama}} It is commonly believed{{By whom|date=January 2010}} that the [[crimson]] [[saltire]] of the Flag of Alabama was designed to resemble the blue saltire of the [[Confederate Battle Flag]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} The Battle Flag was square-shaped, and Alabama's flag is sometimes shown as a square. The legislation that created the state flag did not specify if the flag was going to be square or rectangular.<ref name="stateflag">{{Cite web|url=http://www.archives.state.al.us/emblems/st_flag.html|title=State Flag of Alabama|accessdate=2007-11-17|year=2007|author=Alabama Department of Archives & History}}</ref> The authors of a 1917 article in [[National Geographic]] expressed their opinion that because the Alabama flag was based on the Battle Flag, it should be square.<ref>*Lt. Commander Byron McCandless & Gilbert Grosvenor. "Flags of the World." ''[[National Geographic Magazine]].'' Vol 32. No. 4, pp. 281–420 (October 1917).</ref> In 1987, the office of Alabama Attorney General [[Don Siegelman]] issued an opinion in which the Battle Flag derivation is repeated, but concluded that the proper shape is rectangular, as it had been depicted numerous times in official publications and reproductions.<ref name="ag87">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ago.state.al.us/oldopinions/8700238.pdf|title=Opinion of Don Siegelman|accessdate=2007-11-17|publisher=Office of the Attorney General of the State of Alabama|year=1987|author=Don Siegelman|format=PDF}}</ref> However, the [[Gallery of flags by design#Saltire|saltire]] design of the Alabama state flag also bears resemblance to several other flags. It is identical to the [[Saint Patrick's Flag|flag of Saint Patrick]], incorporated into the [[Union Flag]] of the [[United Kingdom]] to represent the union of the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] with the [[Kingdom of Ireland]]. This has led to other origins being put forth as possibilities. Another slim possibility is in the flag of Co. F 7th Alabama Cavalry. The regiment was the only Alabama regiment in Rucker's Brigade commanded by Col. [[Edmund Rucker]] of Tennessee, later Alabama, who became a prominent [[Montgomery, Alabama|Montgomery]] businessman after the war. The flag of the brigade used a white background with a red saltire which did not always extend to the corners and charged with dark colored stars upon the saltire. The flag of Co. F, 7th Alabama Cavalry is currently held by the [[Alabama Department of Archives and History]] as part of its Alabama Civil War Period Flag Collection.<ref>[http://www.archives.state.al.us/referenc/FLAGS/085.html Flag: Rucker's Brigade (Carried by Co. F, 7th Alabama Cavalry) Catalogue No. 86.1876.1]</ref> But, the flag carried by Co. F 7th Alabama was not an Alabama Flag, it was the flag made for Rucker's Brigade a month before the 7th joined his brigade; the 7th was color party only after September 24, 1864. A bunting flag that exists, in the white and red configuration with 13 blue stars, is not believed to be Alabama associated, but tied to Rucker's Brigade also. ====Florida==== [[File:Flag of Florida.svg|thumb|right|200px|[[Flag of Florida]]]] {{Main|Flag of Florida}} Historically, the first [[Spain|Spanish]] flag over Florida was a red [[saltire]] ragulée (knotted) with a white background (the [[Cross of Burgundy Flag|Burgundian Saltire]]). The [[flag of Alabama]] is a plain red saltire, as is [[Saint Patrick's Flag]], which is incorporated into the [[Union Flag]] of the [[United Kingdom]]. ====Georgia==== {{Main|Flag of Georgia (U.S. state)}} In 1956, the [[Flag of Georgia (U.S. state)|State Flag of Georgia]] was redesigned to incorporate the Confederate Battle Flag. Following protests over this aspect of the design in the 1990s by the [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]] (NAACP) and other groups, efforts began in the [[Georgia General Assembly]] to remove the Battle Flag from the state flag's design. These efforts succeeded in Januhjjhggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggary 2001 when [[List of Governors of Georgia|Georgia Governor]] [[Roy Barnes]] pushed through a design that, though continuing to depict the Battle Flag, greatly reduced its prominence. This move deeply angered a large segment of Georgia’s electorate, contributing to Barnes' defeat in the subsequent gubernatorial election in November 2002. The following year, amidst demands for the return of the 1956 design (“Battle Flag” version) and opposing demands for the continued use of the new “Barnes’” design, the [[Georgia General Assembly]] redesigned the flag yet again, adopting a "compromise" design based largely on the First National Flag of the Confederacy (known as the "Stars and Bars"). [[File:Georgiaflags.svg|thumb|center|500px|Recent flags of Georgia]] ====Mississippi==== [[File:Flag of Mississippi.svg|thumb|right|200px|[[Flag of Mississippi]]]] {{Main|Flag of Mississippi}} The Confederate Battle Flag became a part of the [[Flag of Mississippi]] in 1894. In 1906, the flag statutes were omitted by error from the new [[legal code]] of the state, leaving Mississippi without an official flag. The omission was not discovered until 1993, when a lawsuit filed by the [[NAACP]] regarding the flag was being reviewed by the [[Supreme Court of the state of Mississippi|Mississippi Supreme Court]]. In 2000, [[List of Governors of Mississippi|Governor]] [[Ronnie Musgrove]] issued an executive order making the flag official. After continued controversy, the decision was turned over to citizens of the state, who, on April 17, 2001, voted 2:1 to keep the Confederate Battle Flag emblem on the state flag.<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/04/17/mississippi.flag.02 Mississippi votes 2–1 to keep existing flag], CNN.com</ref>{{Clear}} ====North Carolina==== [[File:Flag of North Carolina.svg|thumb|right|200px|[[Flag of North Carolina]]]] {{Main|Flag of North Carolina}} The state legislature adopted this flag in March, 1885, to replace the original state flag that had been adopted on June 22, 1861, immediately following the state's secession from the Union on May 20, 1861. The red field of the old flag was replaced by blue in memory of the Bonnie Blue Flag, which was used as a symbol of secession during the war and flew over the batteries that opened fire on Fort Sumter, beginning the Civil War. The overall stripe pattern is also reminiscent of the "Stars and Bars" flag and the lone star state flag of Texas, also a member of the Confederacy. ===Use on vehicular license plates=== In [[Vehicle registration plates of Alabama|Alabama]], [[Vehicle registration plates of Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Vehicle registration plates of Louisiana|Louisiana]], [[Vehicle registration plates of Maryland|Maryland]], [[Vehicle registration plates of Mississippi|Mississippi]], [[Vehicle registration plates of North Carolina|North Carolina]], [[Vehicle registration plates of South Carolina|South Carolina]], [[Vehicle registration plates of Tennessee|Tennessee]], and [[Vehicle registration plates of Virginia|Virginia]], vehicle owners can request a state-issued [[Vehicle registration plates of the United States|license plate]] featuring the [[Sons of Confederate Veterans]] logo, which incorporates the square Confederate battle flag.<ref>Plate images for [http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/plates/images/2004/cv.jpg Georgia], [http://www.rtbrandon.com/blankplates/USA/nc/socv.jpg North Carolina], [http://www.revenue.alabama.gov/motorvehicle/images/scv.jpg Alabama], [http://www.marylandmva.com/bin/c/o/Sons-of-Confederate-Veteran.gif Maryland], [http://www.mstc.state.ms.us/mvl/TAGS/Sons%20of%20Confederate%20Vet.JPG Mississippi], [http://www.scdmvonline.com/images/plates/SonsofConfederacy.jpg South Carolina], [http://www.tennessee.gov/revenue/vehicle/licenseplates/misc/confedvet.jpg Tennessee], and [http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/images/plates/sonscv.jpg Virginia]</ref> In 1998, a [[North Carolina]] appellate court upheld the issuance of such license plates in the case ''SONS OF CONFEDERATE v. DMV'', noting: "We are aware of the sensitivity of many of our citizens to the display of the Confederate flag. Whether the display of the Confederate flag on state-issued license plates represents sound public policy is not an issue presented to this Court in this case. That is an issue for our [[North Carolina General Assembly|General Assembly]]."<ref>[http://www.aoc.state.nc.us/www/public/coa/opinions/1998/971563-1.htm SONS OF CONFEDERATE v. DMV]</ref> ==See also== * [[Flags of the U.S. states]] * [[Bonnie Blue Flag]] * [[Confederate Seal]] ==Notes== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} ==References== * Bonner, Robert. ''Colors and Blood: Flag Passions of the Confederate South''. Princeton University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-691-11949-X. * Coski, John M. ''The Confederate Battle Flag: America's Most Embattled Emblem''. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-674-01722-6. *Katcher, Phillip and Scollins, Rick. ''Flags of the the American Civil War 1: Confederate''. (Osprey Men-At-War Series), Osprey Publishing Company, 1993. ISBN 1-85532-270-6. * Madaus, H. Michael. ''Rebel Flags Afloat: A Survey of the Surviving Flags of the Confederate States Navy, Revenue Service, and Merchant Marine''. [[Flag Research Center]], 1986, Winchester, MA. ISSN 0015-3370. (80-page, all Confederate naval flags issue of "The Flag Bulletin," magazine #115.) * Marcovitz, Hal. ''The Confederate Flag, American Symbols and Their Meanings''. Mason Crest Publishers, 2002. ISBN 1-59084-035-6. ==External links== {{External links|date=October 2009}} {{Commons category}} * 1860s Harper's Weekly Images Containing [http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/Confederate_Flag.htm Confederate Flag] * [http://www.civilwar.org/bentonvilleflags The Flags of Bentonville: Union and Confederate flags that flew with units at the Battle of Bentonville, March 1865] * [http://www.sos.state.ga.us/museum/html/flag_1860-1861.htm Georgia secession flags] * [http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=7095 Birthplace of the Confederate Battle Flag marker] * [http://budswebs.homeip.net/Confederate/SCVResolution.htm Resolution unanimously adopted in 1989 by Sons of Confederate Veterans deploring use of the Confederate Battle Flag by hate groups] * [http://www.southernmessenger.org/resolutions.htm 2000 resolution supporting display of Confederate Battle Flags adopted by the Sons Of Union Veterans of the Civil War] {{Six flags of Texas}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Confederate States of America}} [[Category:Confederate States of America]] [[Category:Historical flags]] [[Category:Lists of flags]] [[Category:Obsolete national flags]] [[Category:Cultural history of the American Civil War]] [[Category:Politics and race]] [[da:Konføderationens flag]] [[de:Flagge der Konföderierten Staaten von Amerika]] [[es:Banderas de los Estados Confederados de América]] [[eo:Konfederaj flagoj]] [[fr:Drapeaux des États confédérés d'Amérique]] [[hr:Zastava Konfederativnih Država Amerike]] [[it:Bandiere degli Stati Confederati d'America]] [[nl:Vlag van de Geconfedereerde Staten van Amerika]] [[ja:アメリカ連合国の国旗]] [[no:Stars and Bars]] [[pl:Flagi Skonfederowanych Stanów Ameryki]] [[pt:Anexo:Bandeiras dos Estados Confederados da América]] [[ru:Флаг Конфедеративных Штатов Америки]] [[sv:Amerikas konfedererade staters flagga]]'