Flag of Minnesota
The Minnesota flag is a bold two-tone blue design with a white eight-pointed North Star on a dark blue shape of the state. It took effect on May 11, 2024, replacing a seal-on-blue flag that dated from 1957 and was redrawn in 1983.
What the Minnesota state flag looks like
The current Minnesota flag is divided into two blues. On the hoist (left) side, a dark blue area follows the outline of the state of Minnesota. A white eight-pointed star sits on this shape. The rest of the flag, to the right, is a field of light blue.
Unlike the old flag, it has no seal, no wreath, no date and no lettering. It can be drawn with just three colors and two shapes, which is the kind of simplicity that vexillologists, the experts who study flags, usually recommend. The aspect ratio is 3:5 (height to width).
Minnesota flag meaning and symbolism
The State Emblems Redesign Commission describes the symbols in simple terms:
- The star is the North Star, linked to the state's French motto L'Étoile du Nord, "The Star of the North."
- The dark blue shape is the outline of the state itself, and the dark blue also stands for the night sky.
- The light blue stands for the waters of Minnesota. The state is known as the land of 10,000 lakes and for the Mississippi River, which begins there. The white star also stands for Polaris, the North Star.
History of the Minnesota flag
Minnesota's first state flag was adopted on 4 April 1893 and designed by Amelia Hyde Center, a Minneapolis artist and leatherworker; the first silk flag was embroidered by sisters Pauline and Thomane Fjelde. It was white on one side and blue on the other, with the state seal at the center. A new design in 1957 placed the state seal on a blue field on both sides, with a wreath of pink-and-white lady's slippers, the state flower, and 19 stars for Minnesota as the 19th state admitted after the original 13. A redesign in 1983 redrew the seal and lightened the blue. The seal showed a farmer plowing while a Native American on horseback rode away, an image that critics, including Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, objected to.
In 2023 the legislature created the State Emblems Redesign Commission to propose a new flag and seal. The commission received 2,123 flag submissions and chose a design by Andrew Prekker of Luverne in December 2023. The new flag and seal became official on May 11, 2024.
Opinion on the change was divided. Some people disliked the loss of the old flag, while others welcomed the simpler and more inclusive look. See how it compares with Utah, another state that adopted a new flag in 2024, or browse all state flags.
Flag rules and etiquette in Minnesota
Official use, such as on state buildings, follows the 2024 design. Minnesota flags should follow U.S. flag etiquette: when flown together, the American flag takes the place of honor, which is on its own right (the left as viewed from the front), and the state flag goes to the other side.
Minnesota flag colors
#52C9E8RGB
82, 201, 232CMYK
65, 13, 0, 9#002D5DRGB
0, 45, 93CMYK
100, 52, 0, 64#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0Minnesota flag facts
| Adopted | May 11, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 3:5 |
| Designer | Andrew Prekker |
| State capital | Saint Paul |
| State motto | L’Étoile du Nord |
| Population | 5,706,494 |
Minnesota state flag FAQ
When did Minnesota change its flag?
The new flag took effect on May 11, 2024. The commission chose the design in December 2023, and the flag and the new state seal became official in May 2024.
Why is Minnesota changing their flag?
The 1983 flag, a state seal on a blue field, was criticized as overly complex, hard to tell apart at a distance and too similar to other state flags with seals on blue. In 2023 the legislature created the State Emblems Redesign Commission, and the new flag took effect on May 11, 2024.
Can I still fly the old Minnesota state flag?
The new flag is the official state flag, and the 1983 flag is no longer the state's official design.
What do the star and colors on the Minnesota flag mean?
The star is the North Star, echoing the state motto L'Étoile du Nord. Dark blue is the shape of the state and the night sky, and light blue represents its waters.
What were the Minnesota state flag finalists?
The commission received 2,123 flag proposals in 2023, chose six designs in November, and narrowed them to three finalists by December 13: F1953, F2100 and F944. It picked F1953, by Andrew Prekker of Luverne, on December 15, and a refined version of it, A2, on December 19 by an 11-to-1 vote.
