Judge John Sammons Bell - Why the Georgia Flag was changed in 1956

Judge Bell second from the right looks on while Governor Marvin Griffin signs the law designating Georgia's new flag on February 13, 1956.

Judge Bell was the main architect of the 1956 Georgia Flag. During the effort to change the flag, Judge Bell hand wrote an explanation of what prompted him to see the new flag become law. The first page of his handwritten account is below. Following this page is a transcription of his entire Statement.

I think the world should know that we – The Sons of Confederate Veterans – open our meetings with the pledge of Allegiance to our beloved United State of America and to the flag standing for it. After that we pledge allegiance to our State and to the flag standing for it. We do not waiver in our support and affection for either. There is no hate in the S.C. V.!! There is only respect and love for the Confederate ancestors and a strong resolve to foster and protect their honor and their courageous deeds.

Here is how this beautiful flag came into being.

Some 77 years ago a young boy was present at a Confederate Memorial Day program taking place in the High School Auditorium in Millen, Georgia. His father was the minister of the Baptist church in Millen. This boy was named for his grandfather on his mother’s side – John Sammons a Confederate Veteran in the army of Tennessee. From his parents he had already learned a lot about his Southern Heritage and was very proud of it. On that date some 77 years ago during the ceremony for Confederate Memorial Day he became aware of the three flags on the stage – the flag of the United States, the Georgia State Flag and the Confederate Battle Flag which is by far the best known of the Confederacy.

At that moment of his awareness in came to the loud applause the guest of honor for the occasion – the surviving Confederate Veterans of the Jenkins County, Georgia. They took their seats. Then a stirring rendition of their beloved song “Dixie” started playing. Immediately to a man those old veterans jumped to their feet, beat their walking cans on the floor and let go with their famous “Rebel Yell.” At that moment the young boy experienced the greatest thrill of his life. He looked again at the flags on the stage and thought to himself “What a wonderful and a living memorial it would be to those old veterans and everyone connected with them if their flag were at the end of the State flag instead of the meaningless (to him then) the red, white and red stripes. The battle flag was their flag – it was the South’s flag.” That boy never forgot that dream.

As the Centennial of the Civil War approached (and I don’t mind calling it the Civil War because I think it was the North who attacked its own government making it a “Civil War”), President Eisenhower contacted the Governors of the several states and requested them to appoint a State Centennial Commission to make plans to celebrate the event. The Georgia Commission was appointed and that young boy was named as a member to it. By now he was a grown man. At one Confederate ball celebrating the Centennial where all the men wore Confederate Military Uniforms (and he was so proud wearing his) and all the ladies were beautiful in their period dresses. That boy fondly remembers dancing with Oliva De Havilland who played the role of “Melanie” in the immortal “Gone with the Wind”.

With the impetus and support generated by President Eisenhower to celebrate the Centennial year, the flag dream became a possibility. The young man discussed this with many people. Three of them were in the Georgia State Senate – each was a staunch Southerner. The three were Senator Willis Harden of Commerce whose father was a Confederate Battle surgeon, Senator Jefferson Lee Davis whose name says it all, and Lt. Governor Ernest Vandiver. Ernie’s father enlisted while 13 years of age after walking across the state from trying unsuccessfully to prove he was 18 years of age. He finally succeeded in fooling the authorities and was enlisted in the Confederate army in Floyd County. After discussing the “Flag” with these three – they were enthusiastic. The two senators, Harden and Davis, told the young man to draft the bill and said they would see that it was introduced in the Senate. Well, he did and thus did and the bill passed both houses. Governor Griffin, who dearly loved his Southern Heritage, Signed it and it became law.

You will recall that later when he became Governor it was Ernest Vandiver more than all others combined who kept Georgia’s schools open and operating during the inflammable and successful Civil Rights movement. We are all thankful that period is behind us now except for a few radical on each side who while claiming all the civil rights for themselves would deny the same civil rights to those that disagree with them.

You may not know that Senator Jefferson Lee Davis became a distinguished Superior Court judge (as did his son of the same name). They both encouraged Georgia’s present chief justice of the Supreme Court, Bob Benham a high respected and well like African – American fist to practice law in Cartersville and later strongly supported home for appointment to the Supreme Court.

Let me say again that the only motive and purpose for the making of this beautiful and historic flag was to create a living memorial to honorable and brave soldiers of the Confederacy who fought so bravely against a stronger foe, and yet almost won. And the men, women and children supporting them who served their country bravely and who along with their soldier fathers suffered so much for their cause.

Let us always remember men like Robert E. Lee, Jeb Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Sam Davis, the gallant John Pelham and countless thousands of others with like stalwart characteristics. And let us remember the “Women of Roswell” who were so brutally treated by the infamous William Tecumshe Sherman. And let us remember the multitude of other women, Old people and the children at home who suffered for the cause they believed in. This Georgia State Flag does!!!