flag of Alabama

During the Civil War (1861–65) an unofficial flag of blue with a yellow or white star represented the separation of Alabama from the Union. Another blue flag flew over the state capitol; its obverse side showed the state seal flanked by a woman holding the unofficial flag, while its reverse side featured a cotton plant and a coiled snake. Following the Civil War, many wished to assert the identity of the state through a distinctive flag. The design chosen in 1895 was white with a red saltire. The flag law referred to the design as a “Cross of St. Andrew,” although that name, as used in Scotland, had always signified a white saltire.

No explanation was given concerning the symbolism of the flag, but the intent of the designer was clear. The square shape in which the flag was normally represented was a subtle reference to the Battle Flag of the Confederate States of America. In 1905 the legislature considered a proposal to add stars to the state flag, which would have made it even more similar to the Battle Flag; the flag was left unaltered, however. In 1939 Alabama adopted a state coat of arms directly incorporating the Confederate Battle Flag along with the flags of other governments that had controlled Alabama, including those of France, Spain, and Great Britain. In addition it rejected the state seal established in 1868 by the Reconstruction government, which featured the U.S. shield and bald eagle, in favour of its original seal, which featured a map of Alabama and its rivers.