^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Gulfport, Mississippi (U.S.)

Harrison County

image by Masao Okazaki, 31 December 2024

Description of the flag
Logo flag
Previous Flags

See also:

Description of the flag

To oversee the design of a modern city flag that captures “vibrant heritage and progress” of Gulfport, which had just celebrated its 125th anniversary, the Gulfport Flag Commission was established in January 2024. The 9-member committee, which included Chairman Frank Bordeaux, a member of the Mississippi Flag Commission, and Vice Chairman Glen East, Superintendent of the Gulfport School District, recognized the importance of engaging a community proud of its stability, determination, creativity, and resiliency. The committee asked for designs in August and had received 44 designs via an online portal by September. On the basis of recommendations from residents, local students, professional designers, and vexillologists (including NAVA members), the committee developed flag designs that included elements considered most important for representing Gulfport’s heritage as a city on Mississippi’s Gold Coast. On December 17, one of these designs was recommended to the city council and unanimously adopted as the first official flag of Gulfport. The city says that the flag “reflects elements that convey the city’s culture, personality, and character and includes colors and shapes related to physical characteristics as well as ideals embodied in Gulfport’s history, direction, and people.”

Description of flag: “The blue field, reflecting the water and skies of our coastline represents vigilance, perseverance, and harmony. The gold circle, symbolizing the sun represents hope, optimism, prosperity, continuity, and unity. The seven white stars, symbolic of guiding beacons for navigation represent Gulfport’s wards, our sand beaches, and reflect faith, freedom, peace, harmony, and purity. The anchor, centered in the circle represents strength, stability and hope, and is reflective our long maritime history.”

Commissioner's announcement: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=787907293381381&set=pb.100064863515496.-2207520000
The Proposed flag: https://www.gulfport-ms.gov/gulfport-flag-seal/?fbclid=IwY2xjawHPTapleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYLFsjqtfH6KQCkSrib22NrI0upS9pMnEeOKMrplVKCDO2zyPFCM_Zd7nw_aem_zfRe9OHK76Fo63OIRmFlEw
Masao Okazaki, 31 December, 2024

Logo flag

image by Masao Okazaki, 25 January 2024

The logo flag, which is probably from 2021. This is the image source: https://www.gulfport-ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Artboard-1.jpg
Masao Okazaki, 25 January 2024

Former Flags

2:3 image(s) by permission of David B. Martucci
image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright.

Text and image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) from American City Flags by permission of David B. Martucci.

Design

Gulfport’s flag has a blue field with the city’s seal in the center, consisting of 1 unit in diameter on a field of 2 by 3 units. Horizontally across the center of the seal, about .125 units high, is a yellow stripe with GULFPORT in blue letters. Immediately below, in letters about one-fourth as high, is WHERE YOUR SHIP COMES IN. The portion above and below the yellow stripe is divided in half with a narrow, vertical yellow line, giving the entire seal the appearance of being quartered. In the upper hoist quarter is a commercial ship, yellow shaded in blue, sailing on a green ocean toward the hoist, with a blue sky and a yellow cloud, above it near the hoist edge of the seal. The upper fly quarter has a yellow skyline of the city in its lower part, with green foliage at its base, and, in a blue sky above, a yellow airplane in a landing approach toward the hoist. In the lower hoist quarter is a yellow house with two rows of blue windows, four in each row, a blue sky, and some greenery to the hoist side and below the house. The lower fly quarter shows a yellow sailboat on green water headed toward the fly, with a circular yellow sun near the fly edge of the seal in a blue sky. The entire seal is edged in yellow.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Symbolism

The ship refers to Gulfport’s shipping industry. The airplane over the skyline shows that the city is connected to the world by air as well. The house suggests Gulfport’s history as a city of homes, and the sailboat symbolizes its tourist industry.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Selection

Mayor John H. “Jack” Barnett held a contest to design the flag, sometime between 1977 and 1981.
Flag adopted: Between 1977 and 1981 (unofficial).
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

Designer

The winner was a Mr. Sneed (first name unavailable).
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

More about the Flag

The first flag was made by Josephine Alfonso.
John M. Purcell, American City Flags, Raven 9-10, 2002-2003

image by Masao Okazaki, 25 January 2024

A contemporary photograph of the flag shows a much larger seal and the name arched above it.
Masao Okazaki, 25 January 2024

First Version

image by Calvin Paige Herring, 14 February 1999

Blue and White Version

image derived from image above

A photograph from http://www.wlox.com of flags flying outside the city hall clearly shows the flag in use has a monocolored seal. Image archived.