Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission Announces Selection of New State Flag Design

The State Emblems Redesign Commission of Minnesota revealed the chosen design for the state's updated flag and seal on Tuesday. The new flag, which features an eight-pointed star against a navy blue background shaped like Minnesota, alongside a solid light blue field to represent the state's waters, received an 11-1 vote of approval from the commission. The design, known as "submission F1935," was a modification of a submission by Andrew Prekker, a 24-year-old resident of Luverne, Minnesota. Prekker's original design included three color stripes, representing snow, the beauty of nature and agriculture, and the significance of water to the state. However, the commission decided to move forward with a solid blue field.

The announcement comes after more than 2,000 design submissions were unveiled to the public on October 30. The designs, ranging from humorous to serious, drew inspiration from various cultural icons of Minnesota. The submissions were gradually narrowed down to six finalists on November 21 and then to three on December 12. Ultimately, the commission selected Prekker's design as the basis for the new state flag.

The current flag of Minnesota, adopted in 1957, has faced criticism from Indigenous tribes and flag enthusiasts alike. The flag's imagery, depicting a Native American riding off into the sunset while a white settler plows his field with a rifle nearby, has been seen as offensive and symbolic of the defeat of Indigenous people. Additionally, flag experts have ranked Minnesota's current flag as one of the worst in North America.

The newly proposed flag design aims to address these concerns and follows the five principles of good flag design: simplicity, meaningful symbolism, 2-3 basic colors, no lettering or seals, and distinctiveness or relevance. Dr. Anita Gaul, vice chair of the commission, stated that the new flag design has received high praise from flag experts, indicating a significant improvement from the previous design.

If approved by the Minnesota legislature, the new flag will begin flying on May 11, 2024, which is Minnesota's Statehood Day. However, there may be opposition to the new design, as two Republican nonvoting members of the commission plan to submit a minority report to the legislature, arguing that the chosen seal violates the statute that created the commission and favors one race over others.

Minnesota's flag redesign is part of a larger trend, with several other states, including Utah, Mississippi, Michigan, Illinois, and Maine, considering or implementing changes to their outdated flags. The goal is to create simpler, more inclusive designs that better represent the states' identities and values.