In 1775, Christopher Gadsden created the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag as a patriotic symbol to be flown by the Continental Navy. The Gadsden Flag features a yellow field with a coiled rattlesnake over the words, “Don’t Tread on Me.” While the American Revolution ended when the United States adopted the Stars and Stripes as its official flag, the Gadsden Flag continued to fly during the Gun Rights Movement and by the military. It became particularly popular among libertarians after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Its popularity grew even further when the Tea Party emerged and when Alabama became the seventh state to adopt a Gadsden-designed specialty license plate in 2014.
Don’t Tread on Me: Exploring Gadsden Flags
Gadsden Flags – Don’t Tread on Me Flags has also become an iconic symbol of the post-apocalyptic television series The Walking Dead and has appeared on clothing, hats, posters, and other merchandise. The flag has made an appearance in several movies and TV shows, including the 2000 film The Patriot. In the movie Tootsie, Jeff Slater’s character wears a coat with a flag displayed on the back of it. In the 1995 episode of The Simpsons, Bart’s father has a framed Gadsden flag in his bedroom. In his 9th studio album, country singer Granger Smith includes a song featuring the flag’s lyrics.
Unfortunately, because of its associations with the right-wing populist Tea Party movement and other extremist groups, the Gadsden Flag has been tainted by accusations of racism. In 2014, an African American mechanic for the U.S. Postal Service in Denver filed a discrimination complaint against his supervisors because they encouraged him to wear a cap at work that featured the Gadsden Flag design.
