Florida - US Flags [dot] Design

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Florida has flown many flags. Besides its handful of state flags, it’s seen the flags of Spain, France, Britain, the Confederacy, and the United States.

An early version of the flag featured the state seal on a field of white. The red saltire was introduced in the 1890’s and approved in 1900. Florida Governor Francis P. Fleming suggested that without it, the flag too closely resembled one of surrender.

Because the saltire was adopted amidst the rise of Jim Crow laws, many historians believe it is a reference to the Confederate battle flag.

When the seal was changed and standardized in 1985, the flag also followed suit and this new version was officially adopted May 21, 1985.

Composition

The Florida state flag features a field of white charged with a red saltire.

At the center, the state seal is placed.

In the 2001 North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) flag survey of United States and Canada flags, the flag of Florida was ranked 34th out of 72.

Iconography

• 

  saltire

  the martyrdom of St. Andrew, crucified on an X-shaped cross

  Note: As mentioned earlier, many historians believe it is a reference to the Confederate battle flag.

• 

  Seminole woman

  the Seminole people of Florida

• 

  sabal palmetto

  state tree, regional flora

• 

  ship

  coastal travel and commerce

Coat of Arms

The seal of Florida was established in 1868. It was similar to today’s version, but in 1985 some revisions took place.

The cocoa tree was changed to the palmetto, the Native American woman’s headress was removed to reflect Seminole history more accurately, and the mountains were removed to better show the flat land of Florida.

Colors

The Florida flag prominently features white and red, with supporting colors within the seal.

Florida statute does not provide Cable or Pantone values for the colors of the flag.The hex values here are approximations.White#ffffffRed#a80534Gold#ffb900Green#015941Brown#7d4802Tan#cf7419Blue#007cc2

Construction

Florida statute doesn’t specify a proportion for the flag beyond conforming to “standard commercial sizes.” It is usually produced with a proportion of 2:3.

It is required that the seal be 1/2 the width of the hoist and the red bars be 1/5 the hoist.

Previous iterations

• 

  1845

  Although never officially adopted, the Moseley flag flew at Governor William D. Moseley’s inauguration in 1845.

• 

  1861-1865

  Adopted by Governor Madison S. Perry when Florida seceded from the Union in 1861.

• 

  1868–1900

  Adopted during the Reconstruction at the same time as the Florida state seal.

• 

  1900–1985

  The red saltire is added by Governor Francis P. Fleming.

• 

  1985–Present

  The seal and flag undergo revisions. The current flag of Florida.

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Sources

• Howe, Randy. Flags of the Fifty States: Their Colorful Histories and Significance. Guilford: The Globe Pequot Press, 2002. Print.
• Mitchell, Henry. The State Arms of the Union. Boston: L. Prang & Co, 1876.
• 2018 Florida Statutes. Chapter 15 Secretary of State. § 15.012 State flag.
• Florida Department of State
• Encyclopedia Britannica
• Flag of Florida - Wikipedia