Southern pride and racism: the Confederate flag

Abstract

The subject of this thesis is the changing symbolism of the Confederate flag. The main question is “To what degree has the flag gone from being a national symbol to a symbol of racism?” The Confederate flag, first used as the battle flag of the Confederate states in 1861, has a variety of connotations and is perceived mostly as a symbol of Southern pride and of racism. This research centers on three timeframes, namely the 1860-1870, 1940-1965 and 2000-2015 periods, because symbolism of the flag underwent significant changes during these periods. In order to analyze the Confederate flag and its meaning, a theoretical model developed by Dezalia and Moeschberger about divisive symbols and the functions they serve was used. It was found that due to the use of the Confederate flag by groups linked to racism, it has been transformed into a symbol of radical racism.