Support Us Button Widget

State of NC flag history

Screen Shot 2020-02-06 at 12.18.29 PM

Photo by marcusamelia courtesy of Canva

Table of Contents

In December, we shared the history about the City of Raleigh flag + some fun facts and you all gave it some serious love. Now, we want to give you a quick look into our state flag, what’s on it + how it came to be.

History

NC did not have its own flag until 1861, when the constitutional convention was held, in which the state decided to secede from the Union. At this meeting, delegates put together their ideas and drafted a resolution that would create the flag’s design. The state’s first flag was centered around NC seceding from the Union, highlighting the dates May 20, 1775 — The date of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, and May 20, 1861 — The day that NC declared that they would leave the Union to join the Confederate States of America.

NC officials decided to update the flag once the Civil War ended and the Union and the Confederate States became one. In 1885, a new flag design was drafted, which is the current version of the flag. This update kept May 20, 1775 on the flag, but replaced the NC seceding date with April 12, 1776 — the first known day that the colonies collectively asked for their independence from the British rule, also known as the Halifax Resolves.

Symbols

The white star between the “N” and “C” represents the state being one of the original thirteen colonies.

Colors

The three colors, red, white + blue were used to match the US flag. Blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Red represents hardiness and valor. White represents purity and innocence.

Poll

Loading…

More from RALtoday
Raleigh has plenty of pickleball courts to show off your stuff — keep reading to learn about the sport and where to swing it in the City of Oaks.
Make your voice heard, nominate your favorite local biz and they could win RALtoday’s Best Competition.
The downtown boutique hotel has joined four other destinations in the Raleigh area to be awarded this distinction from MICHELIN Guide experts.
Inspired by “Romeo & Juliet” and Italian films, this new cocktail club at The Exchange comes from the same mind Watts & Ward and Peregrine.
Electric-assist bikes are coming to downtown Raleigh, and they can start and stop just about anywhere. Here’s what you need to know before you hit the road.
Whether you’re a weekend warrior, or the next Tiger Woods, these 18 golf courses around Raleigh are sure to make for a good round.
The store finds vacant retail spaces and signs temporary leases to set up shop leading up to Halloween — but locations can change each year.
Sponsored
To help make your entire process at RDU as smooth as possible, we’ve created a guide that covers everything from gates and parking to details on the airport’s 48 nonstop routes.
Raleigh’s favorite indie rock fest is celebrating 15 years in downtown, and while you need a wristband to see the headliners + many club shows, you can still have plenty of fun without a ticket. Here’s how to enjoy Hopscotch without a wristband.