Flag of Missouri

What the Missouri state flag looks like

The Missouri flag is made of three equal horizontal stripes: red on top, white in the middle and blue at the bottom. The state coat of arms is placed in the center, on the white stripe and spilling over the edges.

The emblem has several parts:

• A blue circle around the arms holds 24 white stars.
• Inside it, two grizzly bears stand on either side of a shield. On the left side of the shield is the United States coat of arms with its eagle, and on the right is a bear and a crescent moon.
• A helmet and crest sit above the shield, and a ribbon below carries the Latin motto Salus populi suprema lex esto with the Roman numerals MDCCCXX, which stand for 1820.

Missouri flag meaning and symbolism

The state describes the colors this way: red stands for valor, white for purity, and blue for vigilance, permanence and justice. Together they match the colors of the American flag.

The 24 stars show that Missouri was the 24th state to join the Union, in 1821. The two grizzly bears are a symbol of strength and courage. The motto translates as "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law." The year 1820 refers to the Missouri Compromise, the law that paved the way for statehood. The crescent moon in the arms is read as a sign of a new state's growth, as the state was still young.

History of the Missouri flag

Missouri had no official flag for most of the nineteenth century. The state seal dates to 1822, but a flag came much later. The flag was designed by Marie Elizabeth Oliver, a Missouri resident, in the early 1910s. The state legislature adopted it on March 22, 1913.

The red, white and blue stripes follow the national colors. Some people also see a reference to Missouri's French colonial past, though the horizontal layout is also the same as the Dutch flag. The flag has not been changed since 1913, though a few proposals for a simpler version have been discussed. Compare it with Nebraska or browse all U.S. state flags.

Interesting facts about the Missouri flag

• It is one of the few U.S. state flags with horizontal red, white and blue stripes.
• The bears are grizzlies, even though grizzly bears no longer live in Missouri.
• The Missouri flag is a rectangle of unusual proportions, roughly 12:7.