U.S. state flag consisting of a blue field (background) featuring a pelican and its young in a nest above a ribbon emblazoned with the state motto, “Union, justice & confidence.”

A pelican tearing at its breast to feed its young is the central emblem of the flag. Real pelicans never perform this activity, but from the Middle Ages this symbol has represented the spirit of self-sacrifice and dedication to progeny. In graphic form the image was found in many books, prints, and paintings, and it was traditionally recalled by early French settlers of Louisiana. As early as 1812 the pelican was used as a Louisiana symbol; it appeared on the state seal, as well as on some unofficial flags.

During the Civil War (1861–65) Louisiana adopted a flag somewhat resembling the Stars and Stripes (United States of America, flag of the) but with stripes of red, white, and blue and a red canton with a single yellow star. It thus incorporated the colours of France (France, flag of) and Spain (Spain, flag of), former colonial rulers of Louisiana, and of the United States. In 1912, the centennial of statehood, the state legislature recognized the current flag design.