 | |
| Use | State flag  |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Adopted | January 26, 1861; 165 years ago (1861-01-26) (modifications made on January 28, 1861) |
| Design | A white palmetto on a blue field with a white crescent in the canton. |
Theflag of South Carolina is a symbol of the U.S. state ofSouth Carolina consisting of a blue field with a whitepalmetto tree and a whitecrescent. Roots of this design have existed in some form since 1775, being based on one of the firstAmerican Revolutionary War flags. While keeping most of its design intact since its adoption, it has varied over the years.[1]
The state flag of South Carolina was established through a legislative resolution adopted on January 28, 1861, by the South Carolina General Assembly, which designated the following design as a national flag of South Carolina:[2]
…blue, with a white palmetto upright in the centre thereof, and a white increscent in the upper flag staff corner of the flag.[3][4]
In 1775, ColonelWilliam Moultrie was asked by the RevolutionaryCouncil of Safety to design a flag for the South Carolina troops to use during the American Revolutionary War. Moultrie's design had the blue of the militia's uniforms and a crescent taken from their cap insignia. It was first flown atFort Johnson.[5]
William Moultrie states in his memoirs:
A little time after we were in possession of Fort Johnson, it was thought necessary to have a flag for the purpose of signals: (as there was no national or state flag at that time) I was desired by the council of safety to have one made, upon which, as the state troops were clothed in blue, and the fort was garrisoned by the first and second regiments, who wore a silver crescent on the front of their caps; I had a large blue flag made with a crescent in the dexter corner, to be in uniform with the troops...[6]
This flag was famously flown inthe defense of a new fortress onSullivan's Island, when Moultrie faced off against a British fleet. In the 16-hour battle on June 28, 1776, the flag was shot down, but SergeantWilliam Jasper ran out into the open, raising it and rallying the troops until it could be mounted again. This gesture was considered to be so heroic, savingCharleston from conquest for four years, that the flag became a symbol of the Revolution and of liberty in the state and in the new nation.[7]
Soon popularly known as either the Liberty Flag or Moultrie Flag, it became the standard of the South Carolinian militia and was presented in Charleston byMajor General Nathanael Greene when the city was liberated at the end of the war. Greene described it as having been the first American flag to fly over the South.
When South Carolina adopted its state flag in 1861, the palmetto was added onto the Moultrie flag in reference to Moultrie's fortress having survived largely because the palmettos, laid over sand walls, were able to withstand British cannon fire.[8]
Following its declaration of secession from the Union, the newly independent state ofSouth Carolina considered many designs for its "national flag", with the first official draft for a flag being finalized on January 21, which was a white ensign with a green palmetto, and a bluecanton with a white crescent.[9] After a week of debate, the state decided to use a Moultrie flag with an upward facing crescent on a blue field, modifying it by adding the palmetto at the center of the field.[10] On January 26, 1861, theSouth Carolina General Assembly adopted the new flag by adding a golden palmetto encircled with a white background. This flag has become known as the "2-day flag" because the golden palmetto was changed after two days on January 28 to a simple white palmetto on the blue background.[11]
The Palmetto Flag quickly became a symbol of the secessionist movement. During the following winter, it was unfurled at various places around the country, even as far away asSan Francisco, California,[12] by pockets of Southern partisans.
In 1909, Alexander Samuel Salley Jr., secretary of the state's Historical Commission, collaborated with Governor Martin F. Ansel to create a state flag for President Taft's visit.[13] Their work prompted a 1910 law requiring the flag to be displayed on public buildings, with Clemson College producing it according to the 1861 resolution.[13][14] The law also required the Historical Commission's secretary to approve the design, so Salley supervised every detail, including the exact shade of blue.[13][14] The only notable adjustment was moving the crescent closer to the flagstaff and orienting its horns inward.[13] The 1910 statute itself, however, did not specify any detailed design specifications.[14] This law was repealed in 1940.[15]
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Less than three months after its adoption, a variation of the palmetto flag unfurled overFort Sumter on April 14, 1861, the day it was occupied by theConfederate Army, making it the first of theConfederate flags to replace theStars and Stripes of the United States of America, from which the Confederacy had seceded.[16] The flag consisted of a palmetto on an entirely white background with a red star in the upper left quadrant and is commonly known as "The Palmetto Guard Flag.
The Sovereignty flag was never recognized as an official flag in South Carolina, but there are also claims that it was flown for a short period of time in South Carolina after its secession on December 20, 1860. The South Carolina Sovereignty flag is considered to be the inspiration for theConfederate battle flag. Another significant flag is the "South Carolina Secession Flag"; the day after South Carolina seceded, a red flag with two tails, a large white star and a down-right facing crescent was raised over the Charleston Custom House. It then spread to other cities as a symbol of secession.[17]At the beginning of theAmerican Civil War, a similar flag was flown atMorris Island by cadets fromThe Citadel as they fired upon United States supply ships.
![Palmetto flag flown by secessionist in Sacramento, California, per description. Displayed on February 23, 1861[18]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aCalifornia_Palmetto_flag%2c_American_Civil_war.png)
![Flag raised in Nevada City, California on June 20, 1861, per description.[19]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aDockery%2527s_Palmetto_flag.png)
While the flag invariably includes a white palmetto and crescent design on a blue background, state law since 1940 has not provided "specifications for the shape, size, design or placement" of the symbols, or the exact color of the background.[20][21] As a result, flags from different manufacturers may have different appearances. A committee of theSouth Carolina Senate held a hearing on the issue in January 2018 but did not immediately advance a bill to standardize the design.[20][21]
A standardized design was revealed in 2020 but was immediately met with major backlash from the public for its perceived poor design and aesthetics.[1][22] Two other designs were then proposed, one of which will possibly become the official standardized version.[23][24] However, as of 2023[update], legislation has been procedurally roadblocked, with State SenatorBrad Hutto being a core oppositional force to design standardization.[25]
The standardization of the flag would make Pantone 282 C the official shade of indigo to be used on the flag.[23]
![Pre-Civil War palmetto flag (ca 1830–1860)[26][27]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSouth_Carolina_Palmetto_Flag_(1830-1860).svg)
![Flag of South Carolina (1861)[citation needed]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aFlag_of_South_Carolina_(1861).svg)
![The flag with an upward-angled crescent, as depicted on a March 26, 1861 letterhead[28][29][30]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aFlag_of_South_Carolina_(1861_letterhead).svg)
![The state flag that was placed on the bier of Jefferson Davis, 1893.[31]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSouth_Carolina_state_flag_placed_on_the_bier_of_Jefferson_Davis.jpg)
![Design approved by the Historical Commission's secretary (1910–1940), featuring a tilted crescent and a palmetto adapted from artwork by Ellen Heyward Jervey[29][30]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aFlag_of_South_Carolina_(Salley%25E2%2580%2593Heyward_Jervey%2c_1910%25E2%2580%25931940).svg)
![Variant from 1914, per description[32]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aFlag_of_South_Carolina_(1914).png)
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The South Carolina state flag is considered by flag experts as one of the top state flags in the United States.[33][34] In a 2001 survey of U.S. and Canadian subdivisional flags by theNorth American Vexillological Association the South Carolina flag ranked 10th out of 72—6th out of 50 U.S. states.[35][36]
Shirts, belts, shoes, wallets,koozies, holiday decorations and other accessories featuring the flag's palmetto and crescent are popular throughout South Carolina and other southeastern states as a symbol of the state's long-standing heritage.[citation needed] It is also common for alumni and supporters of the state's main universities (theUniversity of South Carolina,Clemson University,Coastal Carolina University,Furman University, theCollege of Charleston,Winthrop University,Wofford College, andThe Citadel) to display the state flag in their school colors.
![Flag presented in June 1875 by the state to the Washington Light Infantry for the Bunker Hill Centennial in Boston, per description (obverse)[37]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aFlag_of_South_Carolina_(1875)_(obverse).png)
![Flag presented in June 1875 by the state to the Washington Light Infantry for the Bunker Hill Centennial in Boston, per description (reverse)[37]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aFlag_of_South_Carolina_(1875)_(reverse).png)
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