The

state flag In vexillology, a state flag is either the flag of the government of a sovereign state, or the flag of an individual federated state (subnational administrative division). Government flag A state flag is a variant of a national flag (or occas ...

of the U.S. state of

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

was adopted on May 11, 2024. It features a dark blue field representing the night sky and the state's shape, an eight-pointed star symbolizing the

North Star Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude t ...

, and a light blue field representing the state's abundant waters; the star is based on one prominently featured in the

Minnesota State Capitol The Minnesota State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Minnesota, in its capital (political), capital city of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Saint Paul. It houses the Minnesota Senate, Minnesota House of Representatives, the offic ...

rotunda. Minnesota's flag has undergone several redesigns since its first official adoption in 1893. Earlier versions incorporated the then state seal, which included imagery now considered outdated and controversial. Criticism over the flag's complexity and depiction of Indigenous peoples prompted calls for change. In response, the Minnesota Legislature established the State Emblems Redesign Commission in 2023 to propose new designs. The 2024 redesign followed public input and was part of a broader trend among U.S. states modernizing their flags. The new flag has received both praise for its clarity and symbolism and criticism over its simplicity and perceived political motivations.

Design and use

Statute

Minnesota statute 1.141 states that "The design of the state flag as certified in the report of the State Emblems Redesign Commission... is adopted as the official state flag." The text of the law defers the details of the current flag's appearance and design to the Commission's report, which was dated January 1, 2024. The report of the State Emblems Redesign Commission described the design as the following: The report also features imagery and a construction sheet, more precisely designating the flag's colors and appearance.

Geometry and colors

The flag has an

aspect ratio The aspect ratio of a geometry, geometric shape is the ratio of its sizes in different dimensions. For example, the aspect ratio of a rectangle is the ratio of its longer side to its shorter side—the ratio of width to height, when the rectangl ...

of 3:5. The shape of the flag's dark blue region represents the shape of the state of Minnesota itself. The flag's white star is a regular

octagram In geometry, an octagram is an eight-angled star polygon. The name ''octagram'' combine a Greek numeral prefix, ''wikt:octa-, octa-'', with the Greek language, Greek suffix ''wikt:-gram, -gram''. The ''-gram'' suffix derives from γραμμή ...

, having the

Schläfli symbol In geometry, the Schläfli symbol is a notation of the form \ that defines List of regular polytopes and compounds, regular polytopes and tessellations. The Schläfli symbol is named after the 19th-century Swiss mathematician Ludwig Schläfli, wh ...

; the floor of the rotunda in the Minnesota State Capitol has an identical octagram design. The State Emblems Redesign Commission's report also contains an official construction sheet for the flag. The flag uses three colors: dark blue, light blue, and white. Respectively, they represent the night sky, the waters of Minnesota, and

Polaris Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris (Latinisation of names, Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an ...

, the North Star. The State Emblems Redesign Commission's report provided technical specifications for the flag's colors, alternately in the distinct

Web color Web most often refers to: * Spider web, a silken structure created by the animal * World Wide Web or the Web, an Internet-based hypertext system Web, WEB, or the Web may also refer to: Computing * WEB, a literate programming system created by D ...

CMYK The CMYK color model (also known as process color, or four color) is a subtractive color model, based on the CMY color model, used in color printing, and is also used to describe the printing process itself. The abbreviation ''CMYK'' refers ...

and

Pantone Pantone LLC (stylized as PANTONE) is an American limited liability company headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey, and best known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS), a proprietary color order system used in a variety of industries, notably gr ...

systems:

Display and use

Minnesota Flag Flying Outside State Capitol

The flag is to be flown over the

from sunrise to sunset. When the flag is folded for storage, it should be folded in the same way as the national flag. Mutilating, defiling, or casting contempt upon the flag, attaching any design to the flag, or using the flag for advertising were misdemeanor offenses under State Statute 609.40, excepting flags on written or printed documents. However, following the 1990 Supreme Court ruling '' United States v. Eichman'', enforcement of this law has been deemed unconstitutional.

Folding history

The flag of Minnesota did not have an official folding technique until 2010, when instructions for folding the 1983 State Flag for storage and display were codified in law. The folding for storage technique was done in the same manner as the U.S. flag, but the display technique was developed by members of the

Minnesota National Guard The Minnesota National Guard is a state-based military force of more than 13,000 soldiers and airmen, serving in 61 communities across the state. Operated in the U.S. state of Minnesota, it is a reserve component of the National Guard (United ...

, and was so detailed that it was confusing to some. The original code (which was repealed in 2024 with the adoption of the new state flag) read:

History

1893 flag

For the first 35 years of statehood, Minnesota had no official state flag. That changed with preparations for the

1893 Chicago World's Fair The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 5 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The ce ...

, where each state was invited to showcase its identity and achievements. In 1891, the Minnesota legislature voted to sponsor an exhibit at the fair, and then Governor William Rush Merriam appointed an all-male board to oversee the state's participation. Responsibility for organizing the display of "women’s work", however, fell to the Women's Auxiliary Board, a group of female volunteers. Recognizing the need for a visual symbol to represent Minnesota, the Auxiliary Board initiated the creation of the state’s first official flag. A six-woman committee, led by Mrs. Franklyn L. Greenleaf, launched a public design contest in 1892 that drew more than 200 entries. In February 1893, they selected a design by Amelia Hyde Center, a Minneapolis artist and leatherworker. She received a $15 prize () for her winning entry. With support from the Auxiliary Board, the Minnesota legislature passed an act on April 4, 1893, officially adopting Center’s design as the first state flag of Minnesota. The first physical version of the flag, made of silk, was embroidered by sisters Pauline and Thomane Fjelde. Their workmanship earned a gold medal at the

fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Fairs showcase a wide range of go ...

where it was displayed. Center's design was white on the

obverse The obverse and reverse are the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ''obverse'' ...

side and blue on the reverse. At the center of both sides was the state seal encircled by a white moccasin flowers (a flower indigenous to Minnesota) overlaying a blue disc. The seal depicted a scene including a farmer plowing while a Native American on horseback rides westward. A red ribbon across the seal bore the motto, (in French, "The Star of the North"). The years 1819 ( Fort Snelling's founding), 1858 (statehood), and 1893 (flag adoption) appeared in gold around the seal. Below it, "Minnesota" was written in gold. Surrounding the seal were 19 gold stars arranged in clusters forming a five-pointed-star, symbolizing Minnesota as the 19th state admitted to the union after the original 13. Historians suggest the design drew inspiration from Minnesota

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

flags used during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, many of which consisted of a blue field with the state seal or an American eagle and a scroll. Similar banners were standard issue for all U.S. infantry regiments from 1890 to 1904.

1957 flag

The Minnesota state flag was redesigned in 1957 in anticipation of the state's centennial in 1958. As part of broader efforts to commemorate 100 years of statehood, the legislature saw an opportunity to modernize the flag’s appearance and improve its practicality. The original flag’s two-sided design with a white obverse and blue reverse was expensive to manufacture and prone to fraying in high winds. To address these concerns, the new version featured a uniform design and blue field on both sides, allowing for a single-layer, more durable construction that was also more cost-effective to produce. The floral elements were also updated for botanical accuracy. The original depiction of moccasin flowers was replaced with pink-and-white lady's-slippers, the official state flower of Minnesota. The redesign also simplified the central emblem, which featured three concentric circular fields. At the center was the Seal of Minnesota. Encircling it was a blue ring, adorned with a wreath of pink-and-white lady’s-slippers and a red ribbon bearing the years

1819 Events January–March * January 2 – The Panic of 1819, the first major peacetime financial crisis in the United States, begins. * January 25 – Thomas Jefferson founds the University of Virginia. * January 29 – Si ...

and 1893 marking the founding of

Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint An ...

and the adoption of Minnesota’s original state flag. The year 1858, denoting Minnesota’s admission to the union, appeared in gold at the top of the ring. Surrounding this was a white outer ring displaying 19 gold stars arranged in five radial clusters. Four clusters each contained four stars, while the top-center cluster included two stars flanking a larger one, symbolizing the

. The number of stars represented Minnesota’s position as the 19th state admitted to the Union after the original 13. Below the seal, between the two lower star clusters, the state’s name appeared in red. Both the blue and white rings were bordered in gold.

1983 flag

In 1983, the flag underwent a redesign that included a redrawing of the seal and a lightening of the blue field from royal blue to a medium blue, though the exact shade varied among manufacturers. The flag maintained a rectangular shape with the emblem centered on a blue field. By statute, the flag was bordered with gold and finished with gold fringe, although the fringe was rarely seen on outdoor flags, being mostly reserved for indoor versions. Several updates were made to the seal’s imagery. The Indigenous figure was repositioned to face more toward the farmer, emphasizing a changed perspective. The

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

and St. Anthony Falls were added, highlighting their historical importance in transportation, industry, and settlement. Behind the falls, three pine trees were included to represent the state tree (the Norway pine) and the three pine regions of the state: the St. Croix, Mississippi, and

Lake Superior Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. Lake Michigan–Huron has a larger combined surface area than Superior, but is normally considered tw ...

. The seal continued to feature three significant years in Minnesota history—1819, 1858, and 1893—along with the pink-and-white lady's slipper and 19 stars arranged as in the 1957 flag.

Responses to the 1983 flag

Criticism of the 1983 design steadily grew over the following decades, fueling calls for change. Detractors argued that the flag was overly complex, difficult to distinguish at a distance, and too similar to other state flags that featured blue fields with state seals. Additionally, some critics, including Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, objected to the imagery of the state seal—viewing it as a representation of

Manifest Destiny Manifest destiny was the belief in the 19th century in the United States, 19th-century United States that American pioneer, American settlers were destined to expand westward across North America, and that this belief was both obvious ("''m ...

. These concerns, combined with growing public interest in a more inclusive and visually effective state symbol, eventually led the Minnesota Legislature to establish a redesign commission in 2023.

Notable Proposals

Anderson–Nelson Proposal

In 1957, a proposed alternative to Minnesota’s state flag was introduced by Representative John Tracy Anderson in collaboration with Major General Joseph E. Nelson, then Adjutant General of the

and a heraldry enthusiast. The design featured 19 stars arranged to form a larger star, set within a vertical triband of red, white, and blue. Anderson promoted the flag as a stronger alternative to the plain blue flag with the state seal, which had been proposed by a legislative commission that year. Although the proposal gained some attention, it was ultimately rejected by the Minnesota House of Representatives in a 48–23 vote. Nelson supported retaining the original 1893 flag until a more distinctive and symbolic design could be adopted.

The North Star Flag

The North Star Flag was created in 1988 by Lee Herold and Reverend William Becker as a proposed alternative to Minnesota's state flag. Like previous designs of the state flag, it features a yellow star symbolizing the state motto ("The Star of the North"). The design also includes the colors of blue, white, and green representing water, winter, and forests, respectively. Although never officially adopted, the design gained significant grassroots support. It was presented to the state legislature in 1989 with backing from Republican representative Gil Gutknecht and later won an unofficial design contest in 2001 judged by vexillologists. The flag was sold by Herold's Rochester-based flag store and appeared at public events and in media coverage, making it one of the most recognizable unofficial symbols of Minnesota. Herold continued to advocate for the design in the decades that followed. In 2023, he gave a flag design testimony before the State Emblems Redesign Commission, but the North Star Flag was not selected as a finalist in the redesign process. While the final 2024 design does not directly derive from it, the North Star Flag played a notable role in public discourse around flag redesign, helping to sustain interest in replacing the previous state flag.

2023 Redesign Commission

Formation

In April 2021 a student from Wayzata High School contacted State Senator Ann Johnson Stewart to discuss creating a bill to change the state flag. Senator Johnson Stewart agreed and worked with her colleague Senator Mary Kunesh to author the bills HF284 and SF847 to introduce to the 92nd Legislature. The bills outlined the State Emblems Redesign Commission that would later go into effect after the bill's passage several years later. The bills did not advance during the 92nd Legislative session. On March 22, 2022, two Democratic-Farmer-Labor members of the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

, Mike Freiberg and Peter Fischer, introduced a bill to redesign the state's flag and seal. Fischer began supporting a flag redesign in 2017 after a group of high school students raised the issue to him. The law outlines specific guidelines for the redesign, stipulating that the new designs "must accurately and respectfully reflect Minnesota's shared history, resources, and diverse cultural communities" and that symbols representing only a single community or person are prohibited. It was proposed as part of a state budget bill and was opposed by Republican representatives, who viewed it as a low priority. In May 2023, as a part of the annual state budget, the Minnesota Legislature established the State Emblems Redesign Commission, tasked with proposing new designs for Minnesota's flag and seal. The legislation dictates that, barring any contrary legislation, the chosen flag design will be adopted as the state flag on May 11, 2024. The committee has 13 members, including representatives of the Indian Affairs Council, the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, and the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, along with three members of the general public appointed by Governor

Tim Walz Timothy James Walz (; born April 6, 1964) is an American politician who has served since 2019 as the 41st governor of Minnesota. He was the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States, vice pre ...

. The committee held its first meeting on September 5.

Submission phase

In October 2023, the committee opened the floor to public submissions for new flag designs. They received 2,123 flag proposals and 398 seal designs. Common motifs included the state bird (the

loon Loons (North American English) or divers (British English, British / Irish English) are a group of aquatic birds found in much of North America and northern Eurasia. All living species of loons are members of the genus ''Gavia'', family (biolog ...

), alongside depictions of lakes, rivers, and the North Star. More diverse entries ranged from photographs of dogs and wooden floors to

national flags A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a given nation. It is flown by the government of that nation, but can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanings for its colors and symbo ...

, psychedelic monkey illustrations, and a loon shooting lasers from its eyes, reminiscent of the "Laser Kiwi" flag proposed in New Zealand's 2015-2016 flag referendums. Several submissions were unchanged images of the current Minnesota state flag.

Selection of finalists

On November 21, 2023, the commission convened at the Minnesota Senate Building to review the submissions. Although initially intending to select five finalists, six designs were chosen. All featured a star motif and the colors blue and white, while none included the loon, as the committee felt it symbolized only part of Minnesota. By December 13, the finalists were narrowed to three designs: F1953, F2100, and F944. File:Minnesota flag submission F1953.svg, F1953 – Designed by Andrew Prekker, selected as the basis of the final design on December 15 File:Minnesota flag submission F2100.svg, F2100 – Designed by John Muller, eliminated on December 15 File:Minnesota flag submission F944.svg, F944 – The "Mirror of the Sky Flag", designed by Todd and Peter Pitman, eliminated on December 15 File:Minnesota flag submission F29.svg, F29 – "Starflake", designed by Brandon Hundt, eliminated on December 13 File:Minnesota flag submission F1154.svg, F1154 – Designed by Ross Bruggink, eliminated on December 13 File:Minnesota flag submission F1435.svg, F1435 – Designed by Sarah Agaton Howes, eliminated on December 13

Final design

On December 15, 2023, the committee selected design F1953 as the final flag, eliminating proposals F2100 and F944. By December 19, after graphic designers Tyler and Jenae Michaletz presented several variations of the finalist designs, the commission narrowed the choices to five variations of F1953 for the final vote. File:Flag of Minnesota.svg, A2 (final design) File:Minnesota flag submission F1953 - B2.svg, B2 File:Minnesota flag submission F1953 - C2.svg, C2 File:Minnesota flag submission F1953 - D2.svg, D2 File:Minnesota flag submission F1953 - E2.svg, E2 Rotunda floor of the Minnesota State Capitol showing 8-pointed star

Rotunda floor of the Minnesota State Capitol showing 8-pointed star

On December 19, 2023, the commission officially selected design A2 by an 11-to-1 vote, with B2 receiving the sole dissenting vote. The new flag officially became Minnesota’s state flag on May 11, 2024, coinciding with the state’s annual Statehood Day celebrations.

Response to the 2024 flag

Public reaction to the final design of the 2024 Minnesota state flag was mixed, with many praising its simplicity and symbolism, while others criticized the change. Flag expert Ted Kaye of the

North American Vexillological Association The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) is a membership organization devoted to vexillology, the study of flags. It was founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith, and others. Its membership of 1,100+ comprises flag s ...

described the design as "outstanding", placing it among the top ten U.S. state flags. A local news poll, however, found that only 23% of Minnesota voters supported adopting the new flag, while 21% preferred replacing it with a different design and 49% wanted to keep the existing flag. Democratic leaders praised the inclusive design process and the removal of controversial imagery from the previous flag. Lieutenant Governor

Peggy Flanagan Peggy Flanagan (; born September 22, 1979) is an American politician and Native American activist serving as the 50th lieutenant governor of Minnesota since 2019. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Flanagan ser ...

, who had previously declined to display the old flag due to its depiction of Indigenous people, called the new version an "upgrade" that better represents all Minnesotans. Conservative critics argued that the new flag resembled the flag of Somalia or the flag of Puntland. State officials responded that any resemblance was coincidental and noted the specific meaning of the star and colors in the Minnesota context. Secretary of State

Steve Simon Steve Simon (born December 12, 1969) is an American politician from the state of Minnesota serving as the 22nd Minnesota Secretary of State. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he previously represented District 46B ...

pointed out that several U.S. state flags resemble foreign flags, such as the

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

and

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, or

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

and

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

. Several rural counties, including Crow Wing,

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

, McLeod,

Nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

Becker Becker () is one of the German-language surnames, along with Bäcker and Baecker, that derive from the root, which refers to baking. The surname began as a name for a baker (and thus his family). In northern Germany, it can also derive from th ...

Mower A mower is a person or machine that cuts (mows) grass or other plants that grow on the ground. Usually mowing is distinguished from reaping, which uses similar implements, but is the traditional term for harvesting grain crops, e.g. with reape ...

, and

Brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing and painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors Orange (colour), orange and black. In the ...

, passed resolutions opposing either the new flag, or the process by which it was chosen. In early 2024, Republican legislators introduced bills seeking to place the new flag on a statewide ballot, but these efforts stalled and did not advance during the legislative session.

References

External links

The Minnesota Flag Statute

"The Origin of the Minnesota State Flag"
on the Minnesota government website
North Star Flag website

"The New Official Flag and Great Seal: Report of the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission to the Minnesota Legislature and Governor"
{{Minnesota 2023 establishments in Minnesota

Native American history of Minnesota Native Americans in art Native American-related controversies Minnesota culture Symbols of Minnesota