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The so-called Bonnie Blue Flag--a white star in the center of a blue field--was flown in Georgia in 1861, as was a flag of white with a red star. Neither is known to have had any official standing, however. Georgia also used a flag featuring three pillars supporting a pediment and arch, a design element taken from the state seal, but there is no indication that the flag was used after the Civil War (1861-65). Finally, on October 17, 1879, the first official state flag was established. It resembled the Stars and Bars of the Confederacy by having three equal red-white-red stripes, but instead of a canton there was a vertical blue stripe along the hoist. That design continued in use until 1905, when the state seal was added to the blue stripe. The state seal (and consequently the flag) of Georgia underwent a number of variations.
On July 1, 1956, a distinctive new flag was adopted. It retained the seal and blue stripe at the hoist, but the Confederate Battle Flag was substituted for the three horizontal stripes. Opponents of the design claimed that it recalled black slavery and other racist policies and was therefore offensive, while its proponents argued that it was a symbol of Southern heritage. As a compromise, a new state flag was adopted on January 31, 2001. It shows the state seal in gold surrounded by thirteen white stars on a blue field. At the bottom, a gold ribbon with the words "Georgia's History" provides the background for three earlier state flags flanked by current and previous versions of the U.S. flag. The words "In God We Trust" were added beneath the ribbon. |
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Georgia
Official name: State of Georgia.
State nickname: Empire State of the South.
Total area: 58,977 sq mi, 152,750 sq km.
Population (2000): 8,186,453.
Population by race, origin (1997): white non-Hispanic 67.2%; white Hispanic 2.4%; black (including Hispanic) 28.4%; American Indian/Eskimo/Aleut 0.2%; Asian/Pacific Islander 1.8%.
Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1995): 7.5 (U.S. avg. 6.0).
Gross domestic (state) product (1996): U.S.$216,000,000,000 (U.S.$29,450 per capita).
Land use (1992): federal land 5.7%; non-federal land 94.3%, of which forest 59.2%, cropland 14.1%, pasture 8.4%, rangeland 0.0%, urban and built-up areas 8.4%, other 4.2%.
Exports by state (1997): U.S.$12,949,000,000; percent of national total 2.10%.
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