Photos: Atlanta Rewind -- The Georgia state flag flap

Metro Atlanta

Atlanta Rewind: The Georgia state flag flap

Photos: Atlanta Rewind -- The Georgia state flag flap

Georgia's new state flag flies above the Capitol and downtown Atlanta skyline after Gov. Sonny Perdue signed it into law in 2003. The current state flag was at the time the third flag to rise over the state house since 2001, when the Georgia flag bearing the Confederate battle emblem was changed and a legislative showdown ensued. -- Gallery by Mandi Albright, AJC

The Georgia state flag was changed Feb. 13, 1956, incorporating a Confederate battle emblem into the design, as a response to the Supreme Court rulings on desegregating schools. The original 1956 caption for this photo reads "Two Georgia Democrats, at left, Frank Etheridge and Judge Gus Roan, present a new state flag to Republicans Ray Spitler and W.B. Shartzer to take to the GOP national convention at San Francisco. Shartzer promised to display the banner with its Confederate symbol."

Governor Marvin Griffin, a Democrat, was a staunch segregationist. Griffin signed the legislation okaying the 1956 change to the Georgia state flag.

In 1994, James Coleman of Atlanta filed suit against then-governor Zell Miller and the State of Georgia over the state flag. Miller had said that he wanted the Confederate emblem removed but the legislature wouldn't pass such legislation and the matter was dropped.

Proposals to change the Georgia flag weren't taken all that seriously by many state legislators in the 1990s. Here, Rep. Denmark Groover shows off yet another Georgia flag proposal in March 1992.

In this January 2001 photo taken during the march for the MLK Day holiday, we see state representative Tyrone Brooks carrying the pre-1956 Georgia state flag along the march route. By 2001, the idea of making some kind of change to the 1956 flag design was starting to gain momentum, although many Georgians wished to see the flag remain unaltered. New Governor Roy Barnes supported the push for a new flag and hurried legislation through the state house, settling on a compromise design that incorporated all of Georgia's previous flags into the new design.

Representatives Tyrone Brooks (left) and Calvin Smyre embrace after the Georgia House of Representatives voted in January 2001 to change the Georgia state flag. But a new battle over the flag was actually just beginning.

The new Georgia flag flies over the gold dome of the Capitol after being raised Jan. 31, 2001, marking a new era for the state following a divisive legislative battle. The flag, which many Georgians came to call the 'Barnes flag' because of its association with Governor Roy Barnes, would be a short-lived banner.

Architect Cecil Alexander designed the 'compromise' flag that flew over the Georgia State Capitol from 2001-2003.

After the 2001 flag was adopted, protests started around Georgia. Here, a group of concerned 'flag activists' protest in front of the governor's mansion in Atlanta. Shown is Janet Baber of Edwardsville, Alabama.

A bumper sticker speaks to what may have been the central election issue for many Georgia voters in 2002 -- the changing of the Georgia State flag -- and to the victory of Republican gubernatorial candidate Sonny Perdue over Roy Barnes. Perdue supported a public referendum on re-designing the state flag.

Standing in front of the Georgia flag in 2002, Gov. Sonny Perdue outlines his flag preference referendum during a February 2003 press confrence in his office in the State Capitol.

Representative Douglas C. Dean, for District 49, speaks in front of a version of the Georgia flag before a vote of HB308 during the House session April 8, 2003, at the Capitol in Atlanta. The House was poised to change the state flag on April 8, but black lawmakers were working to spike a provision setting up a statewide referendum that could restore the Confederate battle emblem to the state banner.

State Sen. David Adelman (D-Decatur) rests his head on his desk during the tiring 2003 legislative debate on the flag.

The official Special Statewide Advisory Referendum Election Absentee/Provisional/Challenged Ballot that voters were presented with as part of the Special State Flag Referendum. Even though Georgians were finally given a chance to vote on which flag would fly over state institutions, many were unhappy that the 1956 flag design was not among the choices.

Lacy Hunter, with the Sons of Confederate Veterans, joins a small protest in front of the state Capitol on the day after voters chose the current state flag over the 2001 Barnes flag in a referendum. Hunter, who wanted the 1956 flag to be an option in the referendum, voted for the 'Barnes flag' because it at least contained an image of the 1956 flag. Protesters were angry with Governor Sonny Perdue, who they said had 'lied' regarding the referendum when the flag with the Confederate emblem wasn't among the choices presented to voters.

Bob Satterfield, with the Georgia Building Authority, takes down the 'Gov. Barnes' state flag (pictured) that was flying over the Capitol ...

... and later Larry Mulkey, left, with the Capitol Police, and Satterfield raise the new state flag over the Capitol shortly after Gov. Sonny Perdue signed it into law in 2003.

Some of Georgia's finest in the U.S. Army National Guard were flying the new state flag in this 2003 photo as they battled in and around Baghdad.

1/20

Georgia's new state flag flies above the Capitol and downtown Atlanta skyline after Gov. Sonny Perdue signed it into law in 2003. The current state flag was at the time the third flag to rise over the state house since 2001, when the Georgia flag bearing the Confederate battle emblem was changed and a legislative showdown ensued. -- Gallery by Mandi Albright, AJC

Today's Gallery Headlines

Atlanta Falcons vs Los Angeles Rams

PHOTOS: Falcons defeat Rams for third straight win

aajc 122925 sugar bowl arrivals

PHOTOS: Georgia arrives at team hotel for Sugar Bowl

walk for peace

PHOTOS: Buddhist monks travel through Atlanta on ‘Walk for Peace’

Georgia Tech BYU Football

PHOTOS: Georgia Tech battles BYU in Pop-Tarts Bowl

More Galleries

Stitch rendering 2025

PHOTOS: Renderings of Stitch project over Atlanta's Downtown Connector

People are silhouetted against a huge Pride flag before the start of the Atlanta Pride Parade on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Photos: Atlanta Pride Parade 2025

Splish Splash Doggie Bash at Piedmont Park

Photos: Splish Splash Doggie Bash at Piedmont Park

Fallen Dekalb County Firefighter Preston Fant arrives at West Cobb Funeral Home

PHOTOS: Fallen DeKalb firefighter honored with processional through metro Atlanta