JUNE 25, 2025 — East Baton Rouge Parish in Louisiana may soon adopt its first official flag, says WAFB9.
The flag proposal, spearheaded by Mark LeBlanc of the city’s public works department, will be presented for public comment and a vote at this week’s Metro Council meeting. If approved, East Baton Rouge would become only the third parish in Louisiana with an official flag.
LeBlanc, who has a long-standing passion for vexillology, has spent the past year crafting a design that he believes represents the parish’s unique heritage.
The proposed design incorporates a shield that combines symbols from the three nations that have governed the region: the fleur-de-lis for France, the Union Jack for Great Britain, and the Spanish Castle for Spain.
At the centre is the “red stick,” a nod to the city’s name and the imagery that French explorers once observed: Animal remains on painted tree trunks near the Mississippi River.
“The red field represents the blood that was on the red stick,” LeBlanc explained, noting the symbolism throughout. “Red is bravery and courage, blue is piety and sincerity, and white is purity.”
LeBlanc hopes the design will unify the entire parish, rather than just represent Baton Rouge.
“I just want them to think that, you know, this represents the parish as a whole… something that would bring people together under one unifying symbol,” he said.
Image: WAFB9
