You Might See More All Black American Flags Flying in Montana

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about flags. But over the past several years, flags have become a more nuanced statement of support. While there are many different kinds of flags to show support of various causes, the American flag has seen various alternative depictions and these depictions carry specific messages.

One of the first alternative displays of the American flag that made me realize there was a lot to learn about flags was when I saw an American flag flying upside down in Billings and my colleague Johnny V did a little research.

Upside Down American Flag

In his article, he explains that a flag flown upside down is used to display "a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property," according to the U.S. Flag Code.

Other depictions of the American flag have specific meanings, too.

Gadsden Flag

You'll often see these flags in Montana (and sometimes on license plates). The flag was flown during the American Revolution and according to Britannica, the rattlesnake symbol "had become a popular symbol of unity among the American colonies."

Thin Blue Line Flag

Seeing a black and white flag with a blue line is a statement of support for police officers. And other flags with colored lines show support for other groups.

Thin Green Line Flag

The green line shows support for the military.

Thin White Line Flag

The white line shows support for emergency medical services.

Thin Red Line Flag

The red line shows support for fire departments.

These flags also show respect for those in these professions who've fallen while on the job and honor these individuals' courage.

All Black American Flag

You may have seen black American flags on social media recently. I learned about this flag thanks to my colleague Billy Jenkins.

He cited an article on The Word Counter that explains that this flag is known as the 'No Quarter' flag and it's been around for a long time, similar to the Gadsden flag. According to the Word Counter, "...during the American Civil war, soldiers flew this black flag to let their enemies know they wouldn’t back down or surrender — and that enemy combatants would be killed rather than taken hostage to serve as prisoners of war."

UPDATE: After publishing this article I received an email from Tate Jones, Executive Director at the Rocky Mountain Museum of Military History at Fort Missoula, who had some insight into the appearance of all-black American flags. “In over 25 years of professional work in the field of military history, I have not to date seen any documented and verifiable instance of American troops coloring the U.S. national flag black and carrying it into a combat situation,” he said.

The history of these flags, and their usage recently, is arguably more complex than what I've described above, but that is to say, this will give you a place to start if you see these flags flying in Montana and you're wondering what they mean.

H/T: KNUE 101.5