Anarchist black flag

The black flag or the anarchist black flag is one of the central and traditional symbols of the anarchist movement. Originating from the Canuts Revolt in 1831, the symbol was increasingly adopted within the workers' movement, particularly in the Lyon region, and was flown during the Lyon Commune. In the early 1880s, while the anarchist movement was still undergoing its ideological constitution, the symbol began to be used by the Black Band and, above all, by Louise Michel, who displayed it during the demonstration of 9 March 1883.

Following this use by Michel, the black flag rapidly spread within anarchist circles and became a central symbol of the movement on an international scale. This is notably due to the flag's polysemy, which signifies both mourning for the Canuts Revolt and past workers' revolts, hunger, the people's joy and anger, the absence of State or nation, but also the fact that it allowed anarchists to distinguish themselves from socialists and their red flag.

The black flag is shared by almost all anarchists, and exists in various derived variations like in bissected flags such as the red and black flag.