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Should Maryland change the state flag?

Opponents say it contains pro-Confederate symbols
Should Maryland change the state flag?
Posted at 5:13 PM, Aug 24, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-24 17:17:47-04

There was a push on social media to change the Maryland state flag because some say it contains pro-Confederate symbols.

Thursday, State Delegate Eric Bromwell responded in a post on Facebook saying, "there is zero chance we would alter our flag."

Governor Hogan also published his support for the Maryland flag on Facebook.

The design of the Maryland flag was inspired by the shield in the coat of arms of the Calvert family, the colonial proprietors of Maryland. 

George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, adopted a coat of arms that included a shield with alternating quadrants featuring yellow and black colors of his father's family and red and white colors of his mother's family, the Crosslands.

The Crossland arms gained popularity during when Marylanders who sympathized with the South adopted the red and white colors. During the Civil War, the yellow and black Calvert arms represented the Union and the red and white Crossland arms represented support for the Confederacy.

By the end of the Civil War, both the Calvert and Crossland arms were clearly identified with Maryland. The state flag incorporated both arms as a way to unite former Rebels and Yankees, permitting them to work together once again.