Louisiana Flag - Hi Vis

Louisiana

The flag of Louisiana is a uniquely gentle emblem among state flags, symbolizing sacrifice and care rather than conquest or defiance. Its central image—a mother pelican tearing at her own breast to feed her chicks with her blood—has medieval Christian roots, where the “pelican in her piety” represented selflessness and Christ’s sacrifice. The design first appeared in the early 1800s and was officially adopted in 1912, though its imagery had already become a proud emblem of the state’s French Catholic heritage. The three drops of blood, added in later refinements, reinforce that message of devotion and protection. Set against a soft blue field with the state motto “Union, Justice, and Confidence” below, Louisiana’s flag tells a story not of war or rebellion, but of nurturing—an echo of a culture shaped by resilience, compassion, and deep Southern identity.