Just
like the other 49 states, Arkansas has many state symbols. We have a state bird
(mockingbird), a state tree (pine), a state flower (the apple blossom) and a
state seal.
Most of these symbols were created by some
state legislator with not much else to do. But there is one state symbol
created out of necessity, and it’s one that you probably see every day — the
Arkansas state flag.
Although Arkansas became the 25th state of
the union in June 1836, it didn’t have an official state flag until February
1913. The U.S. Navy had built a battleship named the U.S.S. Arkansas, and the
Pine Bluff chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution voted to present
the official colors of the state to the commandant of the ship. There was just
one problem — Arkansas had no such flag for the ladies to present.
Apparently, no government official (or any
Arkansan for that matter) felt the need for Arkansas to have its own flag. So
the women contacted Arkansas’ then-Secretary of State, Earl Hodge, about their
organization sponsoring a contest for an official state flag. Hodge gave his
blessing and agreed to be the custodian of the entries.
The contest received about 65 submissions.
Some designs were crayon and pencil drawings on paper, while some were
miniature flags on silk. Black bears appeared on several entries because
Arkansas once had a massive black bear population — so much so that its
original nickname before the “Land of Opportunity” and the “Natural State” was
the “Bear State.” Humorously, one design featured a wooden fence post with the
word "Arkansas" written on it, representing Arkansas’ first
settlement, Arkansas Post.
In early 1913, Hodge and four other judges
chose a design entered by Willie Kavanaugh Hocker of Wabbaseka, who just
happened to be a member of the Pine Bluff DAR chapter.
On a red rectangular field, Hocker placed
a large white diamond (symbolizing Arkansas as the only diamond producing
state) bordered by 25 white stars (symbolizing Arkansas as the 25th state) on a
blue band. Her original design had three blue stars in a straight line centered
in the diamond. Hocker explained that the red, white and blue colors meant that
Arkansas was one of the United States. The three blue stars represented the
three countries that Arkansas had belonged to: France, Spain and the United
States. The two parallel white stars at the left and right points of the
diamond symbolized the dual admission of Arkansas and Michigan to the Union.
Hocker’s design became the official state
flag on Feb. 26, 1913, by a vote of the Arkansas General Assembly. Finally, the
U.S.S. Arkansas received its flag from the Pine Bluff DAR chapter.
In 1924, the state Legislature changed
Hocker’s design by adding the word "Arkansas" to the center and
placing the three blue stars below it and one above to represent that Arkansas was
part of the Confederate States of America. The flag has since remained
unchanged.
There have been few attempts to change the
meaning of the Confederate star or to abolish it altogether. But those attempts
have been as successful as the Ford Edsel and “New” Coke. You young’uns might
have to Google those references.
A sixth-generation Arkansan, Darrell
W. Brown is a lover of all things Arkansas. He served with the Arkansas
Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism for over six years. Brown lives on
Lake Norrell in Saline County with his wife, Amy, and two beloved Boston
Terriers. You can find him on Facebook and Instagram at AllAroundArkansas.
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