States may not be able to change their names without a lot of legislature, but it’s possible to change their flag.
Mississippi was just fine with this state flag for 126 years, even though it featured the Confederate flag that in recent years has gone from being a symbol of rebel pride to racist tyranny. This year legislature was pushed through in the state capitol to change it, in favor of his design.
There’s a lot to be happy about here, design wise. It’s clean, modern, and bold, highlighting the magnolia as a symbol of hope and hospitality while the stars reference Mississippi’s order in being admitted as a state (#20) to the union. The gold star at top represents the native tribes of the area. The states bordering the Gulf of Mexico — Alabama, Lousiana, Mississippi, Florida (I’ll reserve Texas for another region) — have always had a backward rep in the US, which is too bad, but perhaps this new design will lead to a rebirth and rebranding.
Flags for the other Gulf states remain the same. Alabama’s is very simple, a plain white field with a red cross, while Lousiana has one of the most strange, a blue field with a white pelican sitting on a nest, tearing open her breastfeathers to feed her nestlings on blood. This has absolutely no basis in nature and is based on depictions of the animal from Medieval bestiaries, and we know how wacky they were. I think Lousiana may be the next candidate for a redesign, spreading false zoology like that.
Florida’s flag depicts its state seal, but it also boasts the “micro-nation” of the Conch Republic, which encompasses the Florida Keys. I think its flag is neater and more distinctive than its parent state’s. There’s a blazing sun, a shell, and depictions of both the Northern and Southern cross, both of which are visible at its latitude.
Despite it being tongue-in-cheek, people in Florida take the Conch Republic very seriously.
In some other reality, these states may have had names like these.
Alternate Names for the Gulf States
| Mississippi
Mannijoppo Yischinotta Micheskippi Misgracilli Nisbellaggi Missvaulti Modcatrissi Misstillippi |
Alabama
Anabami Ajamba Elamba Echibobo Aloubule Esubassa Alebame Olabesa |
| Lousiana
Loidonia Louriane Lysianna Chatougha Luthiana Jolorbainu Lesirotho Troutiana |
Florida
Floanada Fireju Flochida Flomiza Florschau Flosida Fonongo Fassonida |
