What does A Black American Flag Mean?

Reminiscing the story and history of the Black American Flag

'It matters you aren’t going to take any prisoners. In the time of war, you will kill the enemies on spot'.

In the 18th century, Americans believed that a black American flag symbolized defense. As the national flag symbolizes pride and patriotism, the variation of each flag color has a specific meaning and symbol for the people of the state. In the American war, the black flags are used to relay the message ‘No quarter will be given, which means that enemies in war are mandated to be killed and not be imprisoned. The message on this black flag simply means 'No mercy.'

But as time passes, the definition of the black flag changes and has been given a different analysis and meaning. In the American Civil War in the years 1861-1865, the black American flag regained its new symbol and message 'Black lives matter,' in which a lot of black Americans protested using the black American flag. This historical event had a big impact on the lives of black Americans, who were made fun of for their dignity, couldn't get justice, and couldn't be seen as equals.

As black American flags have different meanings, there are instances where the flag appears in different types: purely black and a combination of black and white. By using such a flag color, they send a message to their opponents that they will not show mercy and will kill in the name of their state. On the contrary, a white American flag signifies a surrender flag.

We all know that the American flag consists of a variety of colors. The red stripes in the American flag represent the 13 colonies, while the stars symbolize the 50 states of the Union. To understand further, here is the significant meaning of the different color variations of the American flag:

• Red: The color red on the flag, aside from the representation of the 13 colonies, also symbolizes hardiness and valor.

• On the other hand, the white on the American flag, which is represented by 50 stars, symbolizes purity and innocence.

• Lastly, the blue on the left side of the flag stands for people's determination, alertness, and fairness.

The American flag has a dimension of 3x5 ft and is made of nylon or polyester.

As the American flag has white, blue, and red, the other symbols of the flag are very hard to distinguish when they are replaced with black. But why did the people turn the flag black? An expert says the first appearance of the black flag did not appear in the American Civil War but is said to have been created as a form of piracy. The appearance of these black flags means that people are using this method to protest the current government.

Aside from the domination of the black flag among the American people, have you also heard about the 'Thin Blue Line'? Also mostly black and white, the presence of the 'Thin Blue Line' signifies the support of people for law enforcement, especially police officers. They, as protectors of society, play a very big part in maintaining and securing the safety and welfare of the people. The existence of the 'Thin Blue Line' is a recognition of their sacrifices and a form of honor for those who were killed while performing their duties.

But another issue arises together with the popularity of the 'Thin Blue Line' because criticism was built in this manner. Many have argued that the flag was a form of backlash against black Americans. The other party claimed that as the purpose of the flag is to recognize the hard work of the law enforcers, it is unethical, especially since many black people were killed by the officers in the same year.

At present, the black flag does not symbolize any meaning or exact definition. People have created a new definition of this black flag aside from its purpose in the Civil War. But due to different sides of the story, there is still no exact definition and answer to such a question. As the flag was used politically and culturally before, it does not imply that it has the same meaning now. If people still argue about the meaning of the black flag, it will be impossible to define such a thing.