Flag of South Dakota
The South Dakota flag is a sky-blue field with the state seal at its center, surrounded by a radiating golden sun. Lettering above and below reads "South Dakota" and "The Mount Rushmore State".
What the South Dakota flag looks like
The state flag of South Dakota is a plain field of sky blue. In the middle sits the Great Seal of the state, drawn as a circle and surrounded by a ring of golden, pointed sun rays. Yellow lettering frames the emblem: the words South Dakota arch over the top and The Mount Rushmore State runs along the bottom.
The seal itself is a small landscape. A farmer plows a field in the foreground, with a cornfield and a herd of cattle nearby. A steamboat moves along a river, a smelter stands for mining, and hills rise in the background under a bright sun. The seal's own motto is Under God the People Rule. The flag's proportions are close to 5:3.
South Dakota flag meaning and symbolism
The blue field stands for the open prairie sky. The gold sun rays are a link to the state's sunny weather and to its earlier nickname, the Sunshine State. The scenes inside the seal show the main parts of the early economy: farming, ranching, river trade and mining. The seal's motto was chosen when South Dakota became a state in 1889.
The words The Mount Rushmore State point to the granite memorial in the Black Hills, which is the best-known landmark in South Dakota. The monument is not drawn on the flag, but the wording ties the banner to it. Other states use similar seal-on-blue designs, and you can compare them on the U.S. state flags page.
History of the South Dakota flag
Dakota Territory was divided in 1889 and South Dakota joined the Union on November 2 of that year, together with North Dakota. The split was largely political, since two states meant more seats in Congress. For its first two decades the state had no official flag.
The legislature adopted a first state flag in 1909. It was built around a sun on a blue background, a design often credited to state historian Doane Robinson, and it carried the wording "South Dakota" with "The Sunshine State". The design was reworked later in the twentieth century. In 1992 the lettering was changed to "The Mount Rushmore State" to match the state's new official nickname, giving the flag its current look.
The flag is flown beside the flag of the United States at the State Capitol in Pierre and at other public buildings.
South Dakota flag colors
#0074A8RGB
0, 116, 168CMYK
100, 31, 0, 34#FEC401RGB
254, 196, 1CMYK
0, 23, 100, 0#FEFEFERGB
254, 254, 254CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0#D4DAE5RGB
212, 218, 229CMYK
7, 5, 0, 10South Dakota flag facts
| Adopted | 1992 |
|---|---|
| Proportions | 5:8 |
| State capital | Pierre |
| Population | 886,667 |
South Dakota state flag FAQ
What does the South Dakota state flag represent?
It shows the state seal on a sky-blue field, ringed by a golden sun. The seal depicts farming, ranching, mining and river travel, and the wording names South Dakota as the Mount Rushmore State.
Did South Dakota get a new flag?
Not a new design, but the lettering was updated. In 1992 the flag's wording changed from the Sunshine State to the Mount Rushmore State. The blue field, seal and sun have stayed the same.
What is the only state flag that is two-sided?
Oregon's flag is the best-known two-sided state flag, with a beaver on the back. South Dakota's earlier flag also differed between its front and back, but the current one is made to be read from the front like most state flags.
What is the motto on the South Dakota flag?
The flag itself carries the nickname "The Mount Rushmore State". The state seal, which sits in the center, contains the motto Under God the People Rule.
Why was Dakota split into two states?
Dakota Territory was divided so that two states could enter the Union in 1889, giving the region four senators instead of two. Both South Dakota and North Dakota were admitted that November.
