Georgia holds the record of having had the most flags (eight different iterations).
The flag has created controversy for the state. The 1956 version featured the Confederate battle flag, adopted soon after Brown v. Board of Education ruled segregation unconstitutional.
The current flag, based on the first Confederate national flag (“Stars and Bars”) was officially adopted May 8, 2003.
The people of Georgia voted to keep this version of the flag in a referendum on March 2, 2004.
The Georgia flag is a horizontal triband of red and white.
It features a square canton of blue charged with the state’s coat of arms in gold, surrounded by a ring of thirteen white five-pointed stars.
Below the coat of arms, the words “In God We Trust” are inscribed.
the original thirteen colonies
three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial
protecting the Constitution
wisdom, justice, moderation
a foundation for all above it
The original coat of arms featured the date 1799 (as seen to the right). In 1914, the date was changed to 1776 to reference the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The Georgia flag uses the same red, white, and blue as the U.S. national flag.
The Georgia flag can be produced with different proportions including 2:3, 3:5, or 5:8.
The flag supplied to militia units bearing the coat of arms.
Introduced by Herman H. Perry, Georgia state senator. Based on the first Confederate national flag.
Upon the blue field, the coat of arms must be “stamped, painted or embroidered.”
A white shield is added along with a red banner with the word “Georgia.”
The coat of arms is replaced with the state seal in white and blue.
Designed by John Sammons Bell, the red and white bars are replaced with the Confederate battle flag.
Designed by architect Cecil Alexander and championed by Governor Roy Barnes, a very unpopular “compromise” version.
The current Georgia state flag.