The Bonnie Blue Flag is a historic flag featuring a single white five-pointed star on a blue field. Its origins predate the American Civil War and are connected to the Republic of West Florida.
The earliest well-documented use of a similar design occurred in 1810, when rebels in what became known as the Republic of West Florida used a blue flag with a single white star during their revolt against Spanish rule. The short-lived republic existed for only a few months before the United States annexed the territory.
The design resurfaced in 1861 when Mississippi adopted a blue flag with a single white star after seceding from the Union. The flag quickly became associated with the Confederate secession movement.
Its popularity grew considerably after the 1861 publication of “The Bonnie Blue Flag,” a song written by Harry McCarthy. The song helped turn the flag into a widely recognized Confederate symbol during the Civil War.
### What the Bonnie Blue Flag Represents
Historically, the single star was associated with the idea of a single independent state or republic. During the Civil War, however, the Bonnie Blue Flag became strongly identified with Confederate independence and secession.
Today, the flag is primarily encountered in Civil War history, historical reenactments, museums, collections, and discussions of 19th-century American history. Its meaning can be controversial because of its later association with the Confederacy and slavery.