1956 Georgia Flag – Old Georgia (1956 – 2001) Flags Outdoor Sewn Nylon Embroidered 5 x 8 ft.

1956 Georgia State Flag (1956–2001) — Historic Georgia Flag, 5×8 Feet, Outdoor Sewn Nylon Embroidered

A Bold Piece of Georgia’s Political and Cultural History

The 1956 Georgia State Flag is one of the most historically significant — and politically charged — state flags ever flown in the American South. Displayed for 45 years before being retired in 2001, this flag marked a defining era in Georgia’s identity, incorporating the Confederate Battle Flag into its design at a moment of intense national tension. Today it stands as a sought-after collector’s piece and a tangible artifact of mid-20th century Southern history.

History & Symbolism of the 1956 Georgia Flag

Prior to 1956, Georgia’s state flag featured a simple design with the state seal. All of that changed on March 8, 1956, when the Georgia General Assembly voted to adopt a dramatically redesigned flag — one that placed the Confederate Battle Flag across the majority of its field.

The timing was no coincidence. The new flag was adopted just two years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision (1954), which ruled racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. Historians widely regard the redesign as a direct political statement of defiance by Georgia’s legislature against federal desegregation efforts — making this flag a complex and layered symbol of the era.

The design featured the Georgia state seal and the word “Georgia” on a red and white vertical bar along the left edge, with the bold blue saltire and 13 stars of the Confederate Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia dominating the remaining two-thirds of the flag.

For nearly half a century, this flag flew over Georgia’s state capitol, courthouses, schools, and public buildings — one of the most prominent displays of Confederate symbolism in official American government during the Civil Rights era.

Frequently Asked Questions & Little-Known Facts

Q: Why was the Confederate Battle Flag added to Georgia’s flag in 1956? The redesign is widely attributed to Georgia legislators seeking to signal opposition to federal desegregation mandates following Brown v. Board of Education. It was part of a broader pattern of Confederate symbol revival across Southern states during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

Q: When and why was the 1956 flag retired? After years of political debate, Georgia Governor Roy Barnes signed legislation replacing the flag on January 31, 2001. The redesign was one of the most politically controversial decisions in modern Georgia history and is widely credited with contributing to Barnes losing his re-election bid in 2002.

Q: Did any community keep the 1956 flag after it was retired? Yes — Trenton, Georgia adopted the 1956 Georgia flag as its official city flag after the state retired it, making Trenton one of the only municipalities in the United States to officially fly the design to this day.

Q: What happened to Georgia’s flag after 2001? The replacement flag of 2001 proved deeply unpopular and was itself replaced just two years later. In 2003, Georgia adopted its current flag — a design based on the first Confederate national flag (the “Stars and Bars”), which ironically carries its own Confederate heritage, though it is far less recognizable to most people than the Battle Flag design it replaced.

Q: Is this one of the rarest historical state flags to collect? Among serious collectors of Southern Americana and Civil War–era memorabilia, the 1956 Georgia flag is considered a highly significant piece — representing a distinct and turbulent chapter in both Georgia history and the broader story of Civil Rights in America.

Civic Quality Construction — Nylon Embroidered, 5×8 Feet

• Embroidered on both sides — not printed, with the design reading correctly from the front and in reverse on the back, per proper flag construction standards
• Bright embroidered thread adds texture, visual depth, and a premium look and feel superior to any printed flag
• Waterproof, tear-resistant, and fray-resistant nylon built for long-term outdoor display
• Double and quad-stitched edges on all sides for lasting durability
• Reinforced grommet holes with metal rings for secure, rust-free pole attachment
• Fits any standard flagpole or mounting system

Recommended Uses

• Outdoor pole display — permanent installation, rain or shine
• Parades and outdoor events
• Indoor honor displays and historical exhibits
• Schools, churches, and civic organizations
• Collectors of Georgia history, Southern Americana, and Civil War memorabilia

See all Rebel Flags in our Full Collection!