The flag of Tennessee displays an emblem on a field of red, with a strip of blue bordered by white on the fly. The emblem in the middle consists of three stars on a blue circle also with a white border. The central emblem portion of the flag has been adopted as the state's unofficial logo, and appears in the logos of some Tennessee-based companies and sports teams. Examples include the First Horizon Bank and the Tennessee Titans.
In 1897, Tennessee adopted a red, white, and blue tricolor.[3] The three bars were deliberately slanted in an effort to represent the geographically distinct regions of Tennessee. The flag included the number "16", Tennessee having been admitted as the 16th state of the Union, and the words "The Volunteer State", the state's official nickname.
The stars represent the three geographically and legally distinct Grand Divisions of Tennessee (i.e. East, Middle, and West Tennessee). The blue circle around the stars represents the unity of those grand divisions. The blue bar at the edge of the flag was just a design consideration. When asked about the blue bar, Reeves stated "The final blue bar relieves the sameness of the crimson field and prevents the flag from showing too much crimson when hanging limp." In October 1917, National Geographic erroneously reported the stars represented the state as the third to enter the Union after the original thirteen.[7]
Vexillologist Steven A. Knowlton believes that "the Tennessee flag has pragmatic unity with the Confederate flag: both share the element of white stars inside a fimbriated blue charge, and the element of that blue charge on a red field." He also notes the resemblance between the Tennessee State Flag and the third national flag of the confederacy.[8] However, Knowlton also acknowledged that there is no direct evidence of the flag being designed to emulate the Confederate flag.[9]
Star arrangementedit
State law dictates exactly how the central emblem is to be displayed on the flag.
The arrangement of the three (3) stars shall be such that the centers of no two stars shall be in a line parallel to either the side or the end of the flag, but intermediate between the same; and the highest star shall be the one nearest the upper confined corner of the flag.[7]
In 1976, the U.S. Postal Service issued a sheet of 13 cent stamps illustrating U.S. state flags. Tennessee's was illustrated upside down.[10]
Alongside the state flag, there are other flags used by the government of Tennessee. The flag for the governor of Tennessee has been in use since 1939. It is a scarlet flag, with four stars, one in each corner, and the state military crest, a tree with three white stars, in the center. The Tennessee General Assembly has its own flag as well.
^Kaye, Ted (June 10, 2001). "New Mexico Tops State/provincial Flags Survey, Georgia Loses By Wide Margin". NAVA News. Vol. 34, no. 2 Issue #170. North American Vexillological Association. pp. 4–5. from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
^Huff, Caitlin (January 6, 2021). "The Tri-Star Flag: What's behind the beloved emblem". WKRN.com. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
^Reeves, LeRoy (1951). Ancestral sketches. Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. Lynchburg, Va. : J.P. Bell.
^Darnell, Riley C. (2006). (PDF). Nashville, Tennessee: State of Tennessee. pp. 515–516. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 23, 2015.
^ ab. Tennessee Military Department. Archived from the original on January 14, 2008. Retrieved October 26, 2007.
^Knowlton, Steven (2013). "Evocation and Figurative Thought in Tennessee Flag Culture". Raven: A Journal of Vexillology. 20: 23–53. doi:10.5840/raven2013203. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
^Lubbers, Eric J. (2015). "Echoes of the Confederacy". The Denver Post. from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
^(PDF). stampclubs.com. February 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
External linksedit
LeRoy Reeves in the collection of the Archives of Appalachia in Johnson City, Tennessee
January 01, 1970
flag, tennessee, flag, tennessee, displays, emblem, field, with, strip, blue, bordered, white, emblem, middle, consists, three, stars, blue, circle, also, with, white, border, central, emblem, portion, flag, been, adopted, state, unofficial, logo, appears, log. The flag of Tennessee displays an emblem on a field of red with a strip of blue bordered by white on the fly The emblem in the middle consists of three stars on a blue circle also with a white border The central emblem portion of the flag has been adopted as the state s unofficial logo and appears in the logos of some Tennessee based companies and sports teams Examples include the First Horizon Bank and the Tennessee Titans State of TennesseeThe Tri Star FlagUseCivil and state flagProportion3 5AdoptedApril 17 1905 119 years ago 1905 04 17 DesignA blue circle with three white five pointed stars on a rectangular field of red with a strip of white and blue on the fly Designed byCol Le Roy Reeves 1 In 2001 the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U S state territorial and Canadian provincial flags and ranked the Tennessee flag 14th 2 Contents 1 History 2 Description 2 1 Symbolism 2 2 Star arrangement 3 Government flags 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory editAs the American Civil War was approaching in 1861 a flag was initially proposed for the state citation needed In 1897 Tennessee adopted a red white and blue tricolor 3 The three bars were deliberately slanted in an effort to represent the geographically distinct regions of Tennessee The flag included the number 16 Tennessee having been admitted as the 16th state of the Union and the words The Volunteer State the state s official nickname The current flag was designed by Colonel Le Roy Reeves 4 a Johnson City attorney who was then serving in the Tennessee National Guard 5 The Tennessee General Assembly officially adopted the flag on April 17 1905 6 Description editSymbolism edit nbsp The flag of Tennessee in Nashville The stars represent the three geographically and legally distinct Grand Divisions of Tennessee i e East Middle and West Tennessee The blue circle around the stars represents the unity of those grand divisions The blue bar at the edge of the flag was just a design consideration When asked about the blue bar Reeves stated The final blue bar relieves the sameness of the crimson field and prevents the flag from showing too much crimson when hanging limp In October 1917 National Geographic erroneously reported the stars represented the state as the third to enter the Union after the original thirteen 7 Vexillologist Steven A Knowlton believes that the Tennessee flag has pragmatic unity with the Confederate flag both share the element of white stars inside a fimbriated blue charge and the element of that blue charge on a red field He also notes the resemblance between the Tennessee State Flag and the third national flag of the confederacy 8 However Knowlton also acknowledged that there is no direct evidence of the flag being designed to emulate the Confederate flag 9 Star arrangement edit State law dictates exactly how the central emblem is to be displayed on the flag The arrangement of the three 3 stars shall be such that the centers of no two stars shall be in a line parallel to either the side or the end of the flag but intermediate between the same and the highest star shall be the one nearest the upper confined corner of the flag 7 In 1976 the U S Postal Service issued a sheet of 13 cent stamps illustrating U S state flags Tennessee s was illustrated upside down 10 Government flags editSee also Flags of governors of the U S states Alongside the state flag there are other flags used by the government of Tennessee The flag for the governor of Tennessee has been in use since 1939 It is a scarlet flag with four stars one in each corner and the state military crest a tree with three white stars in the center The Tennessee General Assembly has its own flag as well Gallery edit nbsp Proposed flag 1861 nbsp nbsp Flag of Tennessee 1897 1905 nbsp nbsp Flag of the governor nbsp Flag of the General AssemblySee also edit nbsp United States portal List of Tennessee state symbols Seal of TennesseeReferences edit https archive org details ancestralsketche00reev page n11 mode 1up view theater Ancestral sketches by Reeves Le Roy 1876 1960 Kaye Ted June 10 2001 New Mexico Tops State provincial Flags Survey Georgia Loses By Wide Margin NAVA News Vol 34 no 2 Issue 170 North American Vexillological Association pp 4 5 Archived from the original on June 6 2011 Retrieved November 10 2021 Huff Caitlin January 6 2021 The Tri Star Flag What s behind the beloved emblem WKRN com Retrieved February 14 2023 Reeves LeRoy 1951 Ancestral sketches Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center Lynchburg Va J P Bell Reeves LeRoy LeRoy Reeves Papers Fonds AppMs 9 Series Tennessee state flag material Box 2 Johnson City Tennessee Archives of Appalachia East Tennessee State University Accessed November 10 2021 Darnell Riley C 2006 Tennessee Blue Book PDF Nashville Tennessee State of Tennessee pp 515 516 Archived from the original PDF on July 23 2015 a b Tennessee State Flag Tennessee Military Department Archived from the original on January 14 2008 Retrieved October 26 2007 Knowlton Steven 2013 Evocation and Figurative Thought in Tennessee Flag Culture Raven A Journal of Vexillology 20 23 53 doi 10 5840 raven2013203 Retrieved January 24 2022 Lubbers Eric J 2015 Echoes of the Confederacy The Denver Post Archived from the original on January 7 2022 Retrieved August 29 2022 Knoxville Philatelic Society News PDF stampclubs com February 2008 Archived from the original PDF on July 16 2011 Retrieved February 12 2010 External links editTennessee Blue Book 2013 2014 LeRoy Reeves in the collection of the Archives of Appalachia in Johnson City Tennessee Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Flag of Tennessee amp oldid 1220954685, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
