List of Alabama state symbols
List of official symbols of the State of Alabama
Location of the state of Alabama in the United States of America

The state of Alabama has a total of 41 official state emblems. The oldest symbol is the Alabama State Bible, from 1853.[1] The most recently designated symbol is the Little Bluestem, Alabama's state native grass, established in 2024.

Alabama does not have an official nickname, although "Heart of Dixie" was strongly promoted by the Alabama Chamber of Commerce in the 1940s and 1950s, and put on state license plates.[2][3]

Insignia

Type Symbol Year Image
Bible The Alabama State Bible 1853[1]
Great Seal The Seal of Alabama 1876[4] Alabama seal
Flag The flag of Alabama 1895[5] Alabama flag
Coat of arms The coat of arms of Alabama 1939[6] Alabama coat of arms
Military Crest The State Military Crest of Alabama Alabama Military Crest
Motto Audemus jura nostra defendere
We dare defend our rights 		1939[7] Alabama Motto
Creed Alabama state creed 1939[8]
Mascot Eastern tiger swallowtail 1989[9] Eastern tiger swallowtail

Plants

Type Symbol Year Image
Flower Camellia[10]
Camellia japonica L. 		1959[11] Camellia japonica
Fruit Blackberry
Rubus occidentalis 		2004[12] Blackberry
Legume Peanut
Arachis hypogaea 		2022[13] Peanut
Native Grass Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium 		2024[14] Little Bluestem
Nut Pecan
Carya illinoinensis 		1982[15] Pecans
Tree Southern longleaf pine
Pinus palustris 		1997[16] Southern longleaf pine
Tree fruit Peach
Prunus persica 		2006[17] Peaches
Vegetable Sweet potato
Ipomoea batatas 		2021[18][19] Sweet potatoes
Wildflower Oak-leaf hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia Bartr. 		1999[20] Oak-leaf Hydrangea

Animals

Type Symbol Year Image
Agricultural Insect Queen Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

2015[21] Queen Honey Bee
Amphibian Red Hills salamander
Phaeognathus hubrichti 		2000[22] Red Hills salamander
Bird Yellowhammer (yellow-shafted flicker)
Colaptes auratus 		1933[23] Yellowhammer
Butterfly Eastern tiger swallowtail
Papilio glaucus 		1989[9] Eastern tiger swallowtail
Crustacean Brown Shrimp

Penaeus aztecus

2015[24] Brown Shrimp
Freshwater fish Largemouth bass
Micropterus salmoides 		1975[25] Largemouth bass
Game bird Wild turkey
Meleagris gallopavo 		1980[26] Wild turkey
Horse Racking Horse
Equus caballus 		1975[27]
Insect Monarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus 		1989[28] Monarch butterfly
Mammal American black bear
Ursus americanus 		2006[29] Black bear
Marine Mammal West Indian Manatee

Trichechus manatus

2009[30] West Indian Manatee
Reptile Alabama red-bellied turtle
Pseudemys alabamensis 		1990[31] Alabama red-bellied turtle
Saltwater fish Atlantic tarpon
Megalops atlanticus 		1955[32] Atlantic tarpon

Geology

Type Symbol Year Image
Fossil Basilosaurus
Basilosaurus cetoides 		1984[33] Basilosaurus cetoides fossil skeleton from Alabama
Gemstone Star blue quartz 1990[34] Quartz
Mineral Hematite 1967[35] Hematite
Rock Marble 1969[36] Marble
Shell Johnstone's junonia
Scaphella junonia johnstoneae 		1990[37] Scaphella junonia
Soil Bama 1997[38] Bama soil

Culture

Type Symbol Year Image
Agricultural Museum Dothan Landmark Park 1992[39]
American Folk Dance Square dance 1981[40] Square dance
Aquarium Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Alabama Aquarium 2021[41]
Barbecue Competition Alabama Barbecue Championship 1991[42] Barbecue
Cake Lane cake 2016[43] Lane cake
Cookie Yellowhammer cookie 2023[44]
Historic Theatre Alabama Theatre 1993[45] Alabama Theatre
Horse Show AOHA Alabama State Championship Horse Show 1988[46] Horse show
Horseshoe Tournament Stockton Fall Horseshoe Tournament 1992[47] Horseshoe
Outdoor Drama The Miracle Worker 1991[48] Helen Keller
Outdoor Musical Drama The Incident at Looney's Tavern 1993[49]
Song "Alabama" 1931[50]
Renaissance Faire Alabama Renaissance Faire 1988[51] Renaissance faire
Quilt Pine Burr Quilt 1997[52]
Spirit Conecuh Ridge Alabama Fine Whiskey 2004[53] Spirit

Other

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Alabama State Bible". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 15, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  2. ^ "The Heart of Dixie". Alabama Department of Archives and History. March 30, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  3. ^ "Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors". Alabama Department of Archives and History. February 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  4. ^ "Alabama Great Seal". Alabama Department of Archives and History. January 2, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  5. ^ "Alabama State Flag". Alabama Department of Archives and History. September 28, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  6. ^ "Official Alabama Coat of Arms". Alabama Department of Archives and History. April 27, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  7. ^ "Official Alabama Motto". Alabama Department of Archives and History. April 27, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  8. ^ "Alabama's Creed". Alabama Department of Archives and History. April 27, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  9. ^ a b "Alabama Official Mascot and Butterfly". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 17, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  10. ^ Before 1959, the state flower was the goldenrod (adopted September 6, 1927).
  11. ^ "State Flower of Alabama". Alabama Department of Archives and History. April 27, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  12. ^ "State Fruit". Alabama Department of Archives and History. September 30, 2004. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
  13. ^ Act of Alabama 2022-261, Alabama Secretary of State, retrieved 2022-04-08
  14. ^ Act of Alabama 2024-283, Alabama Secretary of State, retrieved 2024-08-28
  15. ^ "Official Alabama Nut". Alabama Department of Archives and History. July 12, 2001. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  16. ^ "Alabama Tree: Southern Longleaf Pine". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 6, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  17. ^ "State Tree Fruit". Alabama Department of Archives and History. April 20, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
  18. ^ "Ivey OKs Naming Sweet Potato as Alabama's State Vegetable". usnews.com. April 17, 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  19. ^ SB171 (PDF), The Alabama Legislature, retrieved 2021-04-20
  20. ^ "State Wildflower of Alabama". Alabama Department of Archives and History. May 27, 2004. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
  21. ^ "Code of Alabama | Agricultural Insect". Justia. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  22. ^ "Alabama State Amphibian". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 6, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
  23. ^ "Alabama State Bird". Alabama Department of Archives and History. April 27, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  24. ^ "Code of Alabama | State Crustacean". Justia. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  25. ^ "Official Alabama Fresh Water Fish". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 17, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  26. ^ "Official Alabama Game Bird". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 17, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  27. ^ "Official Alabama Horse". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 17, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  28. ^ "Official Alabama Insect". Alabama Department of Archives and History. February 12, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  29. ^ "State Mammal". Alabama Department of Archives and History. April 20, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
  30. ^ "Code of Alabama | State Marine Mammal". Justia. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  31. ^ "Official Alabama Reptile". Alabama Department of Archives and History. July 12, 2001. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  32. ^ "Official Alabama Saltwater Fish". Alabama Department of Archives and History. April 27, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  33. ^ "Official State of Alabama Fossil". Alabama Department of Archives and History. August 2, 2005. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  34. ^ "Alabama Gemstone". Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  35. ^ "Official Alabama Mineral". Alabama Department of Archives and History. April 27, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  36. ^ "Alabama Rock". Alabama Department of Archives and History. July 12, 2001. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  37. ^ "Alabama Shell". Alabama Department of Archives and History. August 16, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  38. ^ "Alabama Soil:Bama Soil Series". Alabama Department of Archives and History. May 16, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  39. ^ "Alabama Agricultural Museum". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 6, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  40. ^ "Official American Folk Dance of Alabama". Alabama Department of Archives and History. July 12, 2001. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  41. ^ "Code of Alabama | Official Aquarium". Justia. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  42. ^ "Alabama Barbecue Championship". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 6, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  43. ^ "Section 1-2-41, State cake", Code of Alabama 1975, The Alabama Legislature, retrieved 2020-07-16
  44. ^ "Alabama Historic Theatre". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 6, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  45. ^ "Official Alabama State Championship Horse Show". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 17, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  46. ^ "Alabama Horseshoe Tournament". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 6, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  47. ^ "Official Alabama Outdoor Drama". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 6, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  48. ^ "Alabama Official Outdoor Musical Drama". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 6, 2003. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  49. ^ "Official Alabama State Song". Alabama Department of Archives and History. March 29, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  50. ^ "Official Alabama Renaissance Faire". Alabama Department of Archives and History. October 11, 2005. Retrieved 2008-01-20.
  51. ^ "Alabama State Quilt". Alabama Department of Archives and History. November 15, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
  52. ^ "State Spirit". Alabama Department of Archives and History. August 25, 2005. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
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