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Ideodyssey
How's This For An Idea?

The Peculiar History of Flags (Part 4)

Updated: 1 day ago


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Political Flags



Flags are notoriously good at representing political views, encapsulating entire movements with as little as a single symbol or a few colours. Here are some of the most well-known worldwide.


LGBTQIA+ Flag


The LGBTQIA+ flag is an adaptation of the pride (rainbow flag), first created in 1978 by artist and activist Gilbert Baker to represent the queer community. Each colour of the original flag represented values such as life, healing, sunlight, nature, harmony, and spirit.

Fig. 1: LGBT flags at pride parade
Fig. 1: LGBT flags at pride parade

Over time, the design evolved to include variations that acknowledge diversity within the community, such as the inclusion of black and brown stripes to represent people of colour, as well as pink, light blue, and white to represent transgender identities, and purple ring on a yellow background to represent intersex and non-binary identities.




Black Lives Matter


Black LIves Matter

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) flag emerged alongside the movement founded in 2013 to protest racial injustice and police brutality. It symbolises solidarity, resistance, and the demand for equality.


Fig. 2: BLM flag flying in Washington, DC
Fig. 2: BLM flag flying in Washington, DC

Gadsden Flag


The Gadsden flag, also known as the "Don't Tread on Me" flag, was designed by Christopher Gadsden in 1775 during the American Revolution. Featuring a coiled rattlesnake and the warning phrase, it symbolised resistance to tyranny and the colonies’ fight for independence. Today, it is primarily used as a symbol of the libertarian movement, but is also used across the political spectrum as a sign of defiance against government overreach.


Fig. 3: Gadsden flag flying at anti-gun control rally
Fig. 3: Gadsden flag flying at anti-gun control rally

Extremist Flags



Some of the most well-known and infamous flags are those of extremist ideological movements, whether political, religious or otherwise. These flags are highly controversial or considered symbols of hate and have been outlawed in many countries. Depictions are for informative purposes and are in no way an endorsement.



Fundamental Islamist Organisations


The news is often full of images of fundamentalist groups waving their flags in zealous fervour, the symbols on them showing their core beliefs. Some of the most well-known are those of fundamental Islamist organisations.



Fig. 4: Flag of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at its embassy in Moscow
Fig. 4: Flag of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at its embassy in Moscow

  • The flag of ISIS uses the black banner of the Abbasid Caliphate with the shahada (Islamic declaration of faith) in white and a white circular seal motif below.

  • Al-Qaeda also employs the black banner with the shahada in white - a version of the flag of Jihad.

  • The Taliban flag is the inverse: the white banner of the Ummayad Caliphate, representing purity, with the shahada written in black.

  • The flag of Hamas features the green banner of the Fatimid Caliphate, symbolising Islam and paradise, with the shahada and sometimes the Dome of the Rock in its emblem.

  • Hezbollah’s flag is bright yellow, chosen for visibility and differentiating it as a Shia movement, with its logo in green: a stylised rifle raised amid Arabic script, representing militant resistance, alongside Qur’anic references. All of these groups follow the principle of militant Jihad and have been responsible for the use of terror and violence to achieve their ideological aims.



Confederate Flag (US)


confederate flag

The Confederate (Rebel) Flag was originally used as the battle flag of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War (1861–1865). It features a red field with a blue saltire (diagonal cross) edged in white, decorated with thirteen white stars representing the states of the Confederacy. Today, it is often associated with slavery, segregation, and white supremacist movements, although many defend its use as a symbol of Southern heritage.


Fig. 5: Confederate flag at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Nashville
Fig. 5: Confederate flag at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Nashville

Rising Sun Flag


The Rising Sun flag was used historically by the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy and features a red sun with 16 red rays extending outward on a white field. It symbolises sunlight, energy, and the Emperor.

Fig. 6: Japanese postcard from 1910
Fig. 6: Japanese postcard from 1910

Today, the flag is still used by the Japanese military, though it remains highly controversial in parts of Asia due to its association with ultranationalism, Japanese militarism and atrocities committed in WWII.




Nazi Flag


Fig. 7: Propaganda postcard from 1936
Fig. 7: Propaganda postcard from 1936

The Nazi flag was adopted by the National Socialist German Workers' Party in the 1920s and became Germany’s national flag under Nazi rule (1933–1945). It features a black swastika (an ancient symbol in many cultures) in a white circle on a red field. The red symbolised the social idea of the movement, white represented nationalism, and the swastika was used as a symbol of Aryan identity and racial ideology. Today, the flag is banned or restricted in many countries due to its association with hate, genocide, and World War II.



Socialist/Communist Flag


The flag of socialism is a plain red banner, which became prominent during the 19th-century labour movements and revolutions. The colour is meant to symbolise the blood of workers and revolutionaries. Flags of communist or socialist states have, therefore, traditionally used the colour heavily.


The flag of the Soviet Union, adopted in 1922, is undoubtedly the most recognisable of these, with its infamous gold hammer and sickle. The hammer represented the industrial workers, while the sickle represented the peasantry. The star represented the party leading the people. This design was the inspiration for many other communist and socialist countries (many now defunct). Today, flags related to communism are offensive to many people and especially controversial in countries that suffered under Communist regimes in the past.




Antifa Flag


Antifa (anti-fascist) is a loose communist/anarchist movement with roots in Germany, openly and often violently opposing right-wing extremism. The Antifa flag usually features two overlapping red and black flags on a white or black background.


Fig. 9: Antifa sticker in Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Fig. 9: Antifa sticker in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

The red flag represents socialism or communism, while the black flag represents anarchism. Like many political flags, it has no official status, but is a widely recognised political symbol. It is seen as controversial by many due to a tendency within the movement towards violence and civil disobedience.






Flags For Communication



Racing Flags


The system of motor racing flags developed in the early 20th century as a way to communicate with drivers before modern radios. The most famous, the chequered flag, is believed to have first appeared in the Vanderbilt Cup in 1906, and became standard by the 1920s to signal the finish. Its black-and-white pattern was chosen for maximum visibility against the dust and crowds of early racetracks. Since then, the chequered flag has become an enduring global symbol of racing.


Racing flags
Racing flags
Fig. 10: Surface flag flown during race
Fig. 10: Surface flag flown during race

White Flag (Surrender)


The white flag has long been used as a signal of surrender or truce in warfare, and while its exact origins are unclear, references to it go as far back as the Roman historian Livy in the 3rd century BCE. During the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage, the Carthaginians signalled their desire for peace with olive branches (long associated with peace and truce in the Mediterranean) adorned with strips of white wool. Other records show Mediterranean peoples using white cloth to request a truce. This may have been related to the use of white clothing when worshipping gods to signal reverence and goodwill. The practice spread through Europe in the Middle Ages, and by the 17th century, it had become a standardised symbol of surrender and truce, recognised internationally.


Fig. 11: White flag displayed during the British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown (1781)
Fig. 11: White flag displayed during the British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown (1781)

Maritime Flags


Maritime flags have been used for centuries to identify ships, show national allegiance, and communicate at sea. From simple banners in ancient fleets to the elaborate ensigns of the Age of Sail, they marked a ship’s country, commander, or mission. Today, navies fly national ensigns, jacks, and signal flags, following international codes to convey orders, warnings, and messages, blending practical communication with symbolism and ceremony.


Naval ensigns


Naval signal flags
Naval signal flags

Fig. 12: Royal Australian Navy ensign flown behind the STS Young Endeavour
Fig. 12: Royal Australian Navy ensign flown behind the STS Young Endeavour

Jolly Roger (Pirate Flag)


The Jolly Roger is the famous pirate flag with a white skull and crossbones. Pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries often flew a black flag to intimidate their targets and signal that they were outside the law. Its bold design warned ships to surrender without a fight, promising violence if ignored. The name Jolly Roger is of uncertain origin, but there are several theories. One is that it relates to “Old Roger”, a nickname for the devil in 17th–18th century England. Another is that it derives from the French phrase “joli rouge” (jolly red). Pirates would sometimes fly a red flag instead of a black flag to indicate that no quarter would be given to the crew if they chose to fight rather than surrender. 



Fig. 13: Red Jolly Roger displayed in Portsmouth Historic Dockyards
Fig. 13: Red Jolly Roger displayed in Portsmouth Historic Dockyards

Final Remarks



Flags are just one of the many ways that humans communicate symbolically. They are a tool with which we can express our identities, whether it be our nationality, religion or ideology, represent organisations and movements and communicate without language. The sheer range of designs is itself a marvel, and even more so when you understand that each one has its own unique origin. So, the next time you see a flag, ask yourself what story might be hiding behind it. Chances are, it’s a lot more than you think.




 
 
 

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