Why did Mississippi get a new flag?

After a national debate in 2020, the legislature voted to retire the 1894 flag and set up a commission to design a new one, which voters approved in November 2020.

Why are there 20 stars on the Mississippi state flag?

Mississippi was the 20th state to join the Union, in 1817. A larger gold star at the top of the ring honors the state's Native American tribes.

How was the new Mississippi flag chosen?

A commission selected the magnolia design, and Mississippi voters approved it in a statewide vote on November 3, 2020. It became official on January 11, 2021.

When did the Mississippi state flag change?

Lawmakers retired the old flag on June 30, 2020, voters chose the replacement on November 3, 2020, and the new flag became official on January 11, 2021.

Who designed the new Mississippi flag?

The magnolia design was created by Rocky Vaughan and selected by the commission before the vote.

Mississippi Flag: Meaning, Colors & History

The Mississippi flag shows a white magnolia ringed by 20 stars on a dark blue band with red sides, and carries the words "In God We Trust." Voters chose it in November 2020, and it became official on January 11, 2021, replacing the 1894 flag.

What the Mississippi state flag looks like

The current flag, often called the New Magnolia flag, has three vertical areas. A wide dark blue band fills the center. A red band runs along each side, and a thin gold stripe separates the red from the blue.

In the middle sits a white magnolia blossom, the state flower. A circle of 20 white stars surrounds it, and a larger gold star is set at the top of the circle. The words "In God We Trust" are written across the center of the flower in dark blue.

Mississippi flag meaning and symbolism

The magnolia is closely tied to the state, which is nicknamed the Magnolia State, and the tree is also the state tree. The design groups its symbols as follows:

20 white stars mark Mississippi as the 20th state to join the Union, in 1817.
The gold star at the top is described as honoring the Native American tribes of Mississippi.
The colors follow the red, white and blue of the American flag. The red is often said to stand for hardiness and valor, and the blue for vigilance and justice.
"In God We Trust" is required by the 2020 law that set the design rules, and it is also the motto of the United States.

History of the Mississippi flag

Mississippi adopted its previous flag in 1894, and it remained the state flag for 126 years. Voters kept it in a 2001 referendum, but the debate returned in 2020, and businesses, universities, sports leagues and religious groups called for a change.

On June 30, 2020, the legislature voted to retire the 1894 flag, and Governor Tate Reeves signed the bill the same day. A commission was set up to design a replacement, with two rules: it could not include the emblem used on the earlier flag, and it had to include the words "In God We Trust."

The commission selected the magnolia design, created by Rocky Vaughan. Voters approved it in the statewide election on November 3, 2020, and Governor Reeves signed it into law, making it official on January 11, 2021. See how it compares with Alabama and the neighboring southern states in our state flag gallery.

Flag etiquette in Mississippi

The 2021 flag is used on state buildings and at official events, and the old flag is no longer an official symbol. Standard U.S. flag etiquette applies: the American flag takes the place of honor when two flags are flown together.