Several news outlets have included the Florida State Flag in their lists of State symbols that feature Confederate imagery. But is this the true, or not?
Let’s take a look at the facts and see how our flag evolved over the centuries:
The first flag to fly over Florida belonged to Spain. The Burgundian saltire, featuring a red cross on a white background, was used from 1513 to 1821.
In 1763, Spain passed control of Florida to Great Britain via the Treaty of Paris. Great Britain used the traditional Union Flag in Florida during this brief period.
Spain reclaimed Florida in 1783 and a chose a new battle flag: a tri-band of red and gold, which would be used along with the Spanish saltire until the Florida provinces joined the United States in 1821.
Between 1821 and 1861, Florida had no official flag. The Lone Star and Stripes was used as a provisional flag between 1861 and 1868, after Florida seceded from the Union.
During the Civil War, all three versions of the Confederate flag were used, including the Bonnie Blue star, which originated in West Florida.
As we learned earlier, the modern Florida flag dates back to 1868, when the State decided to slap its official (and then highly inaccurate) seal on a white background.
That design was used until 1900, when an amendment added a red saltire behind the seal and created the design we are all now so familiar with. The official story is that Floridians thought the white flag looked too much like a flag of surrender when hanging on a still day. However, it is true that the change was led by Gov. Francis P. Fleming, a Confederate veteran, segregationist, and Southern nationalist. Some historians say that the red cross was meant to evoke the blue cross of the Confederate battle flag.
But State historians say they have found no direct evidence intentionally linking Florida’s flag design to the Confederate flag. Instead, the red St. Andrew’s Cross is meant to evoke the original flag the Spanish flew over Florida in the 16th Century, and the color scheme is based on the Spanish battle flag of 1783.
Interestingly, the Florida Flag happens to be the only State Flag to feature a woman of color.
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