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Jackson, Mississippi (U.S.)

Hinds County

image by Clay Moss, 27 February 2007

Description of the flag
History of the flag
Unoffical flag 1978-1993

See also:

Description of the flag

Proportion: 3:5, but variable.
Adopted: November 1992
First Raised: 6 January 1993
The flag of Jackson, Mississippi, consists of a 'forest green' field which represents growth, the land and opportunity. The white cross symbolizes the city as being at the crossroads of the state and the region. (The city sits on major national arteries which run north-south and east-west.) The 'French Blue' disc indicates the location of the city upon the Pearl River while the 'yellow-gold' star is a graphic depiction of the city as the capital of Mississippi."

SOURCES - Official Jackson city government handout on the day of the adoption; personal conversations with the head of the flag design committee, Mr. Clay Moss.
Calvin Paige Herring, 26 May 1998

I assisted Jackson's flag design committee as they came up with this flag. The outer gold ring is 1/2 the width of the flag, The French Blue disk is 4/9 the width of the flag while the star is 1/3 the width of the flag based on circumference. The arms of the cross are 1/9 the width of the flag. The official colors are Dartmouth green, French blue, Spanish yellow, and white. I don't remember all of the collective meaning behind the flag. I do remember that the cross represents the fact that Jackson was once referred to as "The Crossroads of the South". The gold star represents the fact that Jackson is Mississippi's capitol. Although Dartmouth green is a darker colored green, the latest batch of Jackson flags that I saw flying around town back in December were more of an Irish green.
Clay Moss, 27 February 2007

History of the flag

From: www.finditinfondren.com/2014/03/04/story-jackson-flag/

Ideals, History and Future: the Jackson Flag
by Chris Myers

When Mayor Kane Ditto took office in 1989, Jackson didn't have an official flag.

The flag that had flown over MetroCenter Mall and City Hall during the Dale Danks administration in the late 70's and early 80's had never been officially adopted by the city council. Its design was a joint effort between William Hobson, mall management, and city officials.

Michael Rejebian was hired as Communications Director by Mayor Kane Ditto in 1992. Around that time, the administration decided that Jackson needed its very own symbol, one that citizens could unite behind. Rejebian was tasked with leading that charge.

On September 24, 1992, a contest was announced. Commenting on the announcement, Mayor Ditto stated in the Northside Sun, "This flag should reflect not only city government, but individual citizens, their ideals, their history and their future." The guidelines were similar to those that would eventually be adopted by the North American Vexillological Association in their 2006 publication Good Flag, Bad Flag. The five point check list said a flag should be simple, meaningful, limited to two to three colors, use no lettering or seals and be distinctive.

By the time the deadline of October 16 arrived, over a thousand entries had been submitted, most of them from local school children. A panel consisting of Rejebian, an architect, a TV sales representative, a public school art teacher, a newspaper columnist, a hotel manager, and a restaurateur poured over the entries, narrowing them down to 167 feasible options. Of those, 25 shared common themes that would find their way into the final design.

Clay Moss, a local flag expert and a contributor to Good Flag, Bad Flag, would be brought in to help compile these themes. Moss presented the committee with two options. Jackson's current flag design narrowly won the vote 7-6.

The flag's symbolism was simple: a gold star representing Jackson's position as state capital; a blue center for Jackson's location along the Pearl River; a white cross, noting the city's designation as "Crossroads of the South;" and a green field, representing growth, prosperity, land, trees, the magnolia, hope, and fertility.

After a heated discussion with some committee members wanting to hold on to the unofficial 1978 flag, the new flag was adopted by the City Council. On January 7, 1993, in a ceremony in Josh Halbert Gardens behind City Hall, Mayor Ditto formally introduced Jackson to its new official symbol. The original flag (a gift from the Metro Jackson Convention & Visitor Bureau) measured 8 feet by 12 feet and was raised that day in front of a crowd of roughly one hundred spectators. Among those in attendance was 11 year-old Tiffany Dennis. Her design was one of 25 "winners" honored with certificates of appreciation.

Twenty-one years and five mayoral administrations later, the flag still flies over City Hall and can be spotted at locations throughout the city. Kane Ditto is happy to see a revival in interest after all of these years. According to him, the process worked well, including utilizing the ideas of many to produce a "rallying point" and a "pride in the city" among Jacksonians. When asked about any opposition or controversy, Ditto replied, "It really was one of the least controversial things I did in office. The whole process was well-received."

submitted by Chris Bedwell, 5 March 2014

Unofficial flag 1978-1993

image by Pete Loeser, 5 March 2014

This de facto flag flew over MetroCenter Mall and the City Hall between 1978-1993, but was never officially adopted by the city council. Its design was a joint effort between William Hobson, the then mall manager, and city officials. It was first flown in 1978 and replaced in January 7, 1993 when the current flag was officially made the new official symbol of the city.
Source: www.finditinfondren.com/2014/03/04/story-jackson-flag/
Pete Loeser, 5 March 2014

image by Rob Raeside, 22 August 2014

According to American City Flags, the unofficial 1978 Jackson, MS, flag should have blue text and a red bust.
Ben Cahoon, 6 August 2014