Unfolding the past: The story behind the Louisiana state flag, why we use a pelican

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Louisiana state flag has been a symbol of the state's rich history and heritage, but how was it designed and what is the background behind it? We dive into the rich history of how the Louisiana state flag took its shape over the last several decades.

The origins of Louisiana's state flag go back to the early 1800s, marking a historic moment for the state moving forward, according to Britannica.

The pelican that is still on the present-day flag dates to 1812. The bird was featured on the Louisiana state seal and on unofficial flags as a symbol for the state.

According to Britannica, during the Civil War era, the state used a flag that was closer to the stars and stripes the U.S. uses today. The colors paid homage to France and Spain.

In 1912, the white pelican on a blue background became the official flag design. It wasn't updated until November 2010, according to Britannica. It was redone with a more modern-styled version of the pelican.

"Union, justice, confidence" is the motto on the current state flag, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State's website. The crest consists of a "nest bearing three chicks, a mother pelican vulning herself with her head turned to the viewer's right displaying three drops of blood on her breast."

Vulning means the mother bird was hurting herself to feed her young. The symbol is often called "pelican in her piety" and has been used since Medieval times as a symbol of Christianity, particularly sacrifice.

In a 2017 blog post, a researcher at Kenneth Spencer Research Library noted the symbol likely came from confusion about how a mother pelican feeds her babies. She chews fish, then lowers her pouch to her chest so the smaller birds can access their meal.

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