Itinerary

My son and I started our trip in Orlando, Florida and thus far we have driven our friend's car thru the States of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma.  Although these southern States have commonalities each has distinct culture and flag.  I decided therefore to portrait the flags of these States and give a brief history.

The flag of Florida consists of a red saltire, the St. Andrew's Cross, on a white background, with the State seal  superimposed on the center stating in God we Trust. The term "Five Flags over Florida" usually refers to the five governments that have exerted sovereignty over all or part of Florida: the flags of Spain, France, UK, the US and the Confederacy.  

The current flag of the State of Alabama is a crimson cross of St. Andrew on a field of white.  The cross of St. Andrew is a diagonal cross, known in as a saltire. 

The flag of the State of Mississippi is the sole remaining U.S. state flag which bears the Confederate battle flag’s saltire.

The flag of the State of Louisiana consists of a "pelican in her piety" representing a mother pelican wounding her breast to feed her young from the blood. The mother pelican's head and outspread wings covering the three pelican chicks nested below her form a stylized flour-de-lis, another emblem of similar significance often depicted in Louisiana. This symbol is emblematic of Christian charity is also found on the state seal.  

The Texas flag is known as the "Lone Star Flag".  The Flag's code assigns the following symbolism to the colors of the Texas flag: blue stands for loyalty, white for purity, and red for bravery. The code also states that single (lone) star "represents all of Texas and stands for our unity as one for God, State, and Country." The "lone star" is, in fact, an older symbol predating the flag which was used to symbolize Texans' solidarity in declaring independence from Mexico.  It is still seen today as a symbol of Texas' independent spirit, and gave rise to the state's official nickname "The Lone Star State".  The idea of the single red stripe and single white stripe actually dates back to the short-lived Republic of Fredonia,  a small state near modern Nacogdoches which seceded from Mexico in 1826 before being forcibly re-integrated. The new state was formed through an alliance between local Anglo settlers and Native American tribes and the Fredonian flag used a white and red to symbolize the two ethnic groups from which the state was formed.

The flag of the State of Oklahoma consists of a traditional Osage Nation buffalo-skin shield with seven eagle feathers on a sky blue field. The Osage shield is covered by two symbols of peace: the calumet representing Native Americans, and the olive branch representing European Americans. Six golden brown crosses, Native American symbols for stars, are spaced on the shield. The blue field represents the first official flag flown by any Native American Nation, the Choctaw flag. The blue field also represents devotion. The shield surmounted by the calumet and olive branch represents defensive or protective warfare, showing a love of peace by a united people.