Alabama Flag 
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| Alabama State Motto |  |
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The Alabama State Motto
The Alabama State motto is expressed in Latin as "Audemus jura nostra defendere" which means: "We dare to
defend our rights" The motto is sometimes translated as "We dare to maintain our rights". The motto was approved on March 14, 1939. The Meaning of the Alabama State Motto
The meaning of the Alabama Motto reflects the aspirations and concepts of freedom, justice and independence. The motto also reflects the history of the War of Independence and the part Alabama played in the American Civil War. | "We dare to defend our rights" |
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The Alabama motto
The design by Governor Bibb served as the official seal until 1868, when it was replaced by a controversial design featuring an eagle holding in its beak a banner that read "Here We Rest."  | | State Banner |
The History of the Alabama State Motto
In 1939 Marie Bankhead Owen, a Director of the Alabama Department of Archives & History, selected the words after being inspired by a poem called 'An Ode in Imitation of Alcaeus' written in 1781 by Sir William Jones (1746-1794) which poses the question "What constitutes a state?" An answer is shown in the following lines of the poem. "What constitutes a state? ... Men, who their duties know,
But know their rights, and, knowing, dare maintain,
Prevent the long-aim'd blow,
And crush the tyrant while they rend the chain:" |
The Origin and Meaning of the Alabama Nicknames
Alabama is the only state that does not have an official nickname. The history, origin and meaning of each of the state's nicknames are as follows: The Heart of Dixie Nickname
The origin of the word derives from the $10 bills that were issued by the Citizens Bank of Louisiana before the Civil War. The $10 notes bore the French word "dix" meaning the number ten. The word "Dixie" in the American vocabulary as a synonym for the Southern United States and the location of the state of Alabama gives rise to its nickname. Camellia Nickname
The camellia flower, 'Camellia japonica', is the state flower of Alabama. Cotton Nickname
This was a major 'cash crop' produced in the state of Alabama, part of the cotton belt. Yellowhammer Nickname
The Yellowhammer is a flicker woodpecker which has yellow patches and is Alabama's state bird. The Yellowhammers was a name given to Confederate soldiers from Alabama. Legend tells that a troop of young cavalry soldiers from Huntsville wore fine, new uniforms with bright yellow patches on their sleeves, collars and coattails. These new uniforms stood out from faded, worn uniforms of veterans. The experienced soldiers poked fun at the young troops calling them "Yellowhammers" and the name stuck! |
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The Alabama Creed
A creed is a statement of beliefs. The Alabama creed was written by Mrs. H.P. Thetford, from the city of Birmingham in Alabama, and was adopted in 1953. "I believe in Alabama, a state dedicated to a faith in
God and the enlightenment of mankind; to a democracy
that safeguards the liberties of each citizen and to
the conservation of her youth, her ideals, and her
soil. I believe it is my duty to obey her laws, to
respect her flag and to be alert to her needs and
generous in my efforts to foster her advancement within
the statehood of the world." | |
Alabama State Motto and Nickname for Kids
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