Glenn Duncan, shared the story behind his design of the official Louisiana state flag with Berwick Mayor and Council on Tuesday night. He explained that he had approached the Secretary of State’s office to offer his help in redesigning the flag to conform to a legislative amendment that called for the addition of three drops of blood on the Pelican’s breast.
Duncan and his team conducted extensive research to ensure that their design was historically and culturally appropriate, as well as adhering to the letter of the law. During this process, they discovered that there were several different versions of the flag flying at the time and had to create a new design with an accurate representation of the brown pelican in white.
The drops of blood represent a pelican wounding itself to feed its young during difficult times. This symbolism may not be scientifically accurate but is an integral part of the Louisiana state flag’s history. Duncan and his team also created documentation on the history and decisions surrounding their design, including why the legislature chose three drops of blood based on a high schooler’s observations from Houma, Louisiana.
Duncan proudly presented a copy of their redesigned flag so it could be flown in local chambers. He stated that even though it features a brown pelican – the state bird – it is drawn in white as per flag law specifications.