Louisiana State Motto: Union, Justice and Confidence
Fact-checked • Updated December 2, 2025
OFFICIAL STATE SEAL
"Union, Justice and Confidence"
Union, Justice and Confidence
About This Motto
Louisiana's motto Union, Justice and Confidence dates back to 1812 when William C.C. Claiborne designed the first state seal. These three words appeared in his writings as early as 1803 during the territorial period. Governor William Wright Heard standardized the seal design on April 30, 1902.
What the Motto Means
Union, Justice and Confidence captures three principles that Governor William C.C. Claiborne emphasized when Louisiana transitioned from French and Spanish rule to American governance. Each word carried specific meaning in that turbulent period.
Union meant joining the United States as a state rather than remaining separate territory. For Claiborne, it also signified self-government and individual freedoms under the American republican system. He used this term to convince Louisiana residents that becoming part of the Union benefited them.
Confidence represented trust in the new American system. Claiborne asked Louisiana's French-speaking Creole inhabitants to have confidence in republican governance and in his leadership. He spent years building that confidence through his letters and speeches to local communities.
Historical Background
-
Louisiana Purchase and Territorial Period
After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, President Jefferson needed someone to govern the new Territory of Orleans (most of present-day Louisiana). He appointed William C.C. Claiborne, a young Tennessee congressman who had previously served as governor of Mississippi Territory. At only 28 years old, Claiborne faced the challenge of governing a diverse, French-speaking population that resented American occupation.
-
Statehood Achieved April 1812
On April 30, 1812, Louisiana became the eighteenth state to join the Union. Claiborne won election as the first state governor under a two-tier system where voters chose candidates and the legislature made the final selection. He took office July 30, 1812, just months before the War of 1812 brought British forces to Louisiana's doorstep.
-
First State Seal Created 1812
When Louisiana achieved statehood, Claiborne designed a new seal replacing the territorial eagle with a brown pelican feeding its young, a symbol he admired for its self-sacrifice. The pelican tears its own breast to feed chicks when no other food is available. This Catholic symbol of charity resonated with Louisiana's French heritage. Above the nest appeared the word JUSTICE with eighteen stars below it, and beneath the nest the phrase UNION & CONFIDENCE.
-
Oldest Known Document 1813
Historian Jason Theriot located a document at Tulane University archives signed by Governor Claiborne in March 1813 that shows one of the earliest official uses of the state seal and motto. Under magnification, Theriot read the words: I have caused these letters to be made patent and the seal of the State of Louisiana here unto annexed. This document confirms Claiborne formalized the seal elements including the three-word motto.
-
Variations Throughout 1800s
During the nineteenth century, Louisiana's seal varied considerably because the state had no standardized specifications. Different seal makers interpreted the design freely. Some nests held ten or twelve chicks instead of the biologically accurate three. The number of blood drops from the pelican's breast fluctuated. The motto's wording remained consistent, though word order sometimes changed.
-
Civil War Period Changes
When the Civil War divided Louisiana between Confederate and Union control, both sides used pelican seals but with differences. Confederate seals showed the pelican's head turned right. Union seals showed it facing left. More significantly, the Union-controlled portion changed the motto from Justice, Union and Confidence to Union, Justice and Confidence, placing Union first to emphasize loyalty to the federal government.
-
Governor Heard Standardizes Design 1902
On April 30, 1902, Governor William Wright Heard instructed Secretary of State John T. Michel to standardize the seal's design for all state departments. Heard's description specified: A Pelican, with its head turned to the left, in nest with three young; the Pelican, following the tradition in act of tearing its breast to feed its young; around the edge of the seal to be inscribed State of Louisiana. Over head of the Pelican to be inscribed Union, Justice, and under the Pelican to be inscribed Confidence.
-
Flag Adopted July 1912
William F. Roy of St. Bernard Parish introduced legislation in 1912 adopting the flag design already in general use. The Louisiana Historical Society had endorsed the idea in April. The bill described a solid blue field with the coat of arms (the pelican feeding its young in white) at center, with a white ribbon beneath containing in blue the motto Union, justice and confidence. The House passed it 71-1 on June 13, and the Senate approved it 32-0 on June 28. Governor officially adopted the flag July 1, 1912.
-
Three Drops of Blood Added
During the 1800s, tradition called for three drops of blood on the pelican's chest. Over time this detail was inconsistently followed. An eighth-grade student at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma noticed the omission and brought it to his state legislator's attention. Louisiana law now requires the design include an appropriate display of three drops of blood.
Meaning & Significance Today
You see the motto etched above the entrance to the State Capitol in Baton Rouge. Inside the capitol, the official state seal with its motto is mounted high on a wall. Every Louisiana driver's license displays the pelican seal with the three words curving around it.
Louisiana's flag carries the motto prominently on a white ribbon beneath the pelican. Known as the Pelican flag since its 1912 adoption, it flies over government buildings throughout the state. The solid blue field provides contrast for the white pelican and white ribbon that holds the motto in blue letters.
In 1981, Louisiana adopted an official pledge of allegiance that interprets the motto for modern citizens: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the state of Louisiana and to the motto for which it stands: A state, under God, united in purpose and ideals, confident that justice shall prevail for all of those abiding here. This pledge explains how the three words from 1812 translate to contemporary values.
Throughout Louisiana history, people have referenced the motto during pivotal moments. After the Civil War, a Times Picayune writer in 1867 rejoiced that Union, justice, confidence was once more restored to our distracted land with slavery abolished. Political candidates invoked it during campaigns. Even critics used it ironically when questioning whether state government lived up to these ideals.
Cultural Context in Louisiana
French and Spanish Heritage
When Claiborne arrived in 1803, Louisiana had a complex colonial history. France established the colony in 1699, ruling until 1763 when Spain took control. In 1800, Spain secretly returned Louisiana to France through the Treaty of San Ildefonso. France held it only briefly before selling the territory to the United States in 1803. Louisiana's residents spoke French, followed French legal traditions, and practiced Catholicism, making them culturally distinct from the Protestant, English-speaking Americans.
Claiborne's Challenge
As territorial governor, Claiborne faced hostility from Louisiana's French Creole elite who resented American rule and saw it as military occupation. He spoke no French initially, had little experience, and faced criticism from merchants led by Daniel Clark and Edward Livingston. In 1807, Clark challenged Claiborne to a duel and shot him through one thigh with the bullet lodging in the other leg. Despite these obstacles, Claiborne gradually gained the elite's confidence by marrying into a Catholic Creole family and incorporating local customs.
Slave Rebellion of 1811
In January 1811, over five hundred enslaved people in St. John the Baptist Parish revolted against their masters in what became the largest slave uprising in United States history. The rebellion was inspired by the successful Haitian Revolution, which troubled both Creoles and American settlers. Claiborne suppressed the revolt with militia forces and executed its leaders, demonstrating the law and order aspect of his Justice commitment while maintaining Louisiana's slave economy.
War of 1812 and Battle of New Orleans
Shortly after Louisiana achieved statehood in April 1812, the War of 1812 brought British forces to the region. Claiborne raised militia companies and controversially negotiated assistance from French pirate Jean Lafitte in defending New Orleans. When British forces attacked in January 1815, Louisiana's diverse population united under Andrew Jackson's command to defeat them. This victory validated Claiborne's emphasis on Union and gave Louisiana residents confidence in their American identity.
Pelican Symbolism
Claiborne admired brown pelicans along Louisiana's Gulf Coast that would tear their own flesh to feed their young rather than let them starve. This behavior, known as the pelican in her piety, was a medieval Christian symbol of charity and self-sacrifice. Choosing this Catholic imagery for Louisiana's seal honored the state's French heritage while connecting to universal themes of parental devotion. The pelican appeared on official documents starting with the territorial period.
Modern Relevance
Louisiana historians continue researching the motto's origins and meaning. Jason Theriot's recent work examining Claiborne's letters has revealed how the three words formed Claiborne's core political message during Louisiana's difficult transition to American rule. His research helps modern Louisianans understand that these weren't just decorative words chosen at random but rather represented the fundamental challenges and promises of joining the Union in 1812.
Current Law
Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 49 governs state symbols. The 2024 statutes specify that the flag shall consist of a solid blue field with the coat-of-arms of the state, the pelican tearing its breast to feed its young, in white in the center, with a ribbon beneath, also in white, containing in blue the motto of the state, Union, Justice and Confidence. The design must include an appropriate display of three drops of blood.
Unlike many states that adopted mottos through separate legislation, Louisiana's motto exists only as part of the seal description. The governor determines the seal's design under Louisiana law, which is why Governor Heard's 1902 standardization had legal authority. The motto appears in the state pledge of allegiance statute adopted in 1981, but this references rather than creates the motto.
Interesting Facts About the Motto
Fact 1 of 20
Governor William C.C. Claiborne used the three words union, justice, and confidence repeatedly in his letters starting in 1803.
Sources & References
This article has been researched using authoritative sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. All information has been fact-checked and verified against official government records.
Interview with Jason Theriot about discovering early documents and interpreting the motto's meaning. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
History of Louisiana's seal design from territorial period through modern standardization. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Details about Louisiana flag adoption in 1912 and current legal specifications. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Official government information about Louisiana's flag and seal. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Accuracy Commitment: We strive to maintain accurate and up-to-date information. If you notice any errors or outdated information, please contact us.