Picture the new flag flying high on tall flag staffs, out of doors. Or, in rows as it pass by in a parade; or at patriotic or sporting events. All parts of the design large and clear and easily seen and understood by all who see them—-young and old. Visualize a proud moment for all Minnesotans as they fly the North Star flag at their homes.

Vexillology; from the Latin word “vexillum;” which was the name for a “flag” of ancient Roman cavalry–actually these were more like “standards;” more like plaques, tablets or posters–or small flags similar to what the military call GUIDONS.

Even earlier than Roman use of such markers, among Egyptian carved reliefs there are seen, plaque-like shapes with insignia atop staffs being carried in processions.

Origination of the word, “vexillology” is credited to Dr. Whitney Smith, long-time flag-guru of NAVA who coined the term when still a teen-ager, at a time when his unending research in the history, heraldry, and designing of flags had so early begun. (see Sidebar)

My own interest in the study of flags came late–after teaching Art for thirty years in a Minnesota State University. It is known that “ART” as a vocation, is really a life-long dedication–the connection of it to one’s life never ends when the Academic studio door is shut upon leaving the premises. I’d have to classify my turn to flags at the first stage as a “vexillophile”–a hobbyist; that is, collecting colorful designs, interesting stories of a flag’s origin, its meaning to the people whom it represented as well as the pride in which the flag was held by patriots of a state. Still an amateur, but rising to the level of “vexillographer”, a designer; revived my prolonged immersion in the world of Art; most all of the rudimentary aspects of Art emerged. This is the serious hobby that has begun. The shapes, the colors, the symbolism of them, the response to a demanding need to make an old, tired design “better” in all the ways one is able.

Finally, it has come to this. How to look at a flag; understand a flag’s purpose, find among its advocates–those it represents, the core/essence to unite as many as possible persons to honor their flag with pride in displaying it, find emotional connection to it when it is spied flying in any setting, among many other flags.

How then can we demonstrate the creation of a flag in any other fashion than by objectively following “guidelines” to help find it. To do this, we are indebted to Mr. Ted Kaye, long-time NAVA enthusiast who has compiled the pamphlet, GOOD FLAG, BAD FLAG; How to Design a Great Flag.

The value of this book is that one should recognize that its contents are meant like “corrective surgery” applied to many flags already in existence. Kaye means to help detect the BAD flags, but then engage every element one can to re-design or make a totally new flag that is a better one.

At hand, we shall show the obvious example of a BAD flag, in need of “repair” and re-design; our Minnesota State flag dated from 1893, with minor modifications over the years–a “political” one as late as 1983.

I like Ted Kaye’s positive approach; that is, he explains how the GOOD flag is a good one before following with the comparison to the BAD flag. We should see the virtues of design in the one, rather than, first calling it BAD to then tear it down. See what I mean?

>>>>To start with:

“Rule” # 1.) The author begins with “Simplicity.” A child should be able to see and easily remember what a flag looks like. PLUS, the child can draw it–and probably color it from memory. Is this such a good criterion? Yes, I think so. It says that the older flag is too complicated with details for a youngster to draw, let alone recall any meaning. Negatively speaking, we doubt that an adult could re-create the 1893 flag from memory.”

Rule” #2.) Next, Kaye suggests, “Use Meaningful Symbols” having to do with the flag’s images, colors and patterns as they relate to what the flag symbolizes. Our design proposal, in a positive way, “centers” on the original flag’s motto, “L’Etoile du Nord” as it is now shown physically as a large white star shape at the top position on a dark blue vertically placed bar. To go on; the colors and shapes clearly mean to symbolize sky, at night and in daytime, the shapes of snow-covered slopes and then green when in summer. It cannot get much more plain and simple than that to evoke the NATURE of Minnesota.

On the other hand, with the old flag, if one can make out the complicated graphic details of the current flag, one will find the symbolism to be an unfortunate reference to Manifest Destiny–a sore point among Native Americans, even to this day.

“Rule” #3.) Says, “Use 2–3 Basic Colors.” Limit to three which will contrast well and come from a standard color set…We say our flag has only three colors because we judge white to be a “non-color,” really. A flag manufacturer or a printer, on the other hand, charges the white as one of the four colors. Still, this difference does not detract nor complicate in any way from the simplicity of the manner in which the colors are juxtaposed. That is to say, Our color-selection works well in Gray Scale (Black to White). The colors, too, are chosen from a “standard color set”–industry’s-widely used Pantone Scale.

By contrast, the colors of the State seal used on the flag are many–six or more–in skies, streams, trees, horse, clothing, plowed earth and so on. The older flag with the State Seal, when viewed atop a flag pole, loses all separations of one color from another: it becomes a blur.

“Rule” #4.) NOTE: No Lettering or Seals. Never use writing of any kind on flags… This rule is like the barrel with fish in it–easy. The easiest one of which to convince anyone looking at the flag. Our design has absolutely no need for commemorating any dates in time, nor slogans, nor writing Minnesota’s name on it. When a flag designer is asked to add the letters of the state’s name particularly, his client is conceding that few will recognize his flag without them–that the design is trite and repetitive. The 1893 flag violates this plain and simple “rule” all over its face. There are printed three different dates: 1819, 1858, and 1893. On a curving knotted “scarf” is inscribed, “L’Etoile du Nord” in gold. And, to complete the violation–the name of MINNESOTA is printed in large, block letters in RED.

The proof of the awkwardness of the arrangement is the fact that, when the flag is viewed on the reverse side—-all letters and numbers are mirrored; they are BACKWARD and unreadable. Not so with our proposal.

“Rule” #5.) Be distinctive or be related;—Avoid duplicating other Flags, but Use similarities to show Connections… Now, our design-change proposal could be said to subtly reveal acknowledgments or nods of slight acquaintance to other influences. Great Art has referenced other art; the artist is showing off his wide awareness of what is going on in his world. Our choice of colors, like other designers of flag changes, are those seen and used everywhere around the state of Minnesota–the blue colors and the green. One might say that our design is a “cousin” of the Lone Star flag of Texas. Other’s designs show relation to the old flag’s’ use of yellow/gold among the stars. We chose not; the North star is clear, bright and white–this is Nature.

Another thing–perhaps a too, too subtle thing is that we intended to make a historical connection to the designs on many of the other old flags that, in their centers; have small bucolic “scenes” showing the bounties of Nature. WE meant to evoke some of the same as our design has a slight downward bend in the stripe in the center–like sloping hillsides on which Minnesota’s two major seasons show their colors.

Our flag is not like any other flag, anywhere. It is unique. We are sure a great many Minnesotans would like it to stand for them and our beautiful State.

Dear Minnesotans et al.,

Having recently received email from people trying to replace the state flag http://newmnflag.com/ , I decided to toss my attached proposal
into the ring.

The state takes its name from the Minnesota River. The name
“Minnesota” means sky-tinted or slightly cloudy (sota) water (minne) in the Dakota language. This morning I was reading a poem that referred to something reflecting on water and this flag proposal popped into my head. Water is central to Minnesota’s identity, and the design is meant to simultaneously evoke the sky reflecting on water, cloudy water, flowing water, and, more generally, progress.

It’s also up on the Web.

Critiques are welcome.

Regards,

Jonathan

Looking about the Web, we found many strong and exciting flag-design proposals. But, before we get to the standout designs, we’d like to show the final design selection of the “winner” of a contest conducted by the Salt Lake Tribune for a new Utah State Flag. In 2002 I volunteered to serve on a five-person panel of the North American Vexillological Association to help the newspaper pick and choose the best entry. To replace the old 1847 Utah territory flag showing the Seal of beehive, Sego lilies and draping U.S. flags we picked a dark blue flag designed by Dustin Eachtel. On the blue field Eachtel designed three snowy mountain peaks with sloping snow lines—a lovely flag (if or when it might be flown upside down, then the image would look much like three sea-gulls– these birds are almost sacred to citizens of Utah for their having come to rid the land of locusts). Like many other proposals in other places, when a new look for the flag is offered to the citizenry– the old design brings out loud and emotional support, to the rejection of the new. Nothing further was done after the effort and time spent by The Tribune and NAVA. (Download a PDF of NAVA’s report to the Salt Lake Tribune here)

Three more design-change proposals come from concerned citizens Andrew Rogers in Washington,

Mr. Zervic from Michigan and, in my estimation, the most attractive of all is Jonathan David Makepeace’s “revival” of an old flag from Vermont’s colonial past– the flag of the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont. His presentation is a thrill to read– and what a great design it would make. These three new suggestions are winning trade-ins for each of those states’ very boring existing flags.

Finally, we in Minnesota, putting forth new design changes can, it seems to me, claim to have been trying for change longer than the others just told about. Besides our own efforts since 2001, there has been the continued presence of Lee Herold and Father Becker– along with the design proposal of Roger Johnson. Take a glance at their designs and language there.

We risk overkill by continuing to “beat a dead flag” down, repeatedly. But, it is not unfair to point out that Minnesota’s 1957 flag richly deserves to be included among the two dozen others which are trite, repetitive, boring, badly designed, indistinguishable from more than twenty-four others and plainly not attractive or fulfilling to most Minnesota citizens. We, as a demographic group, just do not feel attached nor emotional about it– it is not a “fly-it-at-home” type of flag.

We believe that OUR State deserves a new flag that is fresh, clearly stated and especially easy to catch a glimpse of and immediately recognize. Our design captures the natural skies and the snows and greens that are Minnesota. WE offer Summer skies and our blazing NORTH STAR.

State flag designs DO change not infrequently and sometimes not for the better.

An example of one of those same-size-fits-all flags is that of New Hampshire. Recently, a citizen there named Frank Pastore suggested making a change in the design to something a bit bolder. He suggested getting rid of the small-detailed leaves and letters circling New Hampshire’s State Seal and replace them with larger but white stars in an arc over the top half of the circle; and then, beneath adding, on a broad ribbon, the state’s motto– “Live Free or Die.” Yes, the less numerous and larger stars were a clarification; but adding large letters provided no help and made mirror images on the reverse of the flag– not really a good idea. Pastore’s design idea was not acted upon.

Three others among this lesser group of designs, however, have strongly resisted ideas for change from citizens, but sometimes have new details added to the flags by their legislators. Idaho, Kentucky and Nebraska declared their flags “official” and have stuck with them, although these declarations occurred rather late. Like Kentucky– 1962; and Nebraska in 1963.

Wisconsin, South Dakota, Kansas, and Montana are states whose flags demonstrate change that their legislatures, in committees, caused to take place out of their recognition– and some say it directly, in so many words– “nobody can tell what flag that is.” And so, their legislators pass laws to add the names of their states to the designs. Is such a move really an improvement? Interesting that there are but a few letters that read the same whether seen from the front or back; like A, H, I,M, O, T, U, V, W, X, Y. — HAWAII, IOWA, and UTAH are examples of text addition that come to mind. The remedy of adding the name is like an admission of being neglected, passed over, unacknowledged. And, just may add to the confusion.

Wisconsin’s flag received the addition of large WISCONSIN plus 1848 just a few years ago in 1979.

South Dakota, until 1962 bore the motto “The Sunshine State”, which became, “The Mount Rushmore State.”

Kansas added its “name tag” in 1927.

And Montana’s state flag with State Seal was proclaimed in 1905; then as late as 1981 its name was added in large letters. Again, in 1985, a law was passed in Montana, that fixed– for all manufacturer’s of the flag– the letter font to be exclusively used, as “HELVETICA BOLD.”

Minnesota’s State flag of 1893, unfortunately, from our observation, belongs among the designs here. It is deplorably confused with details and symbolism as well. The lone but remotely distinguishing feature of the Minnesota Seal is the broad white circle surrounding it; but this is “spoiled” by the addition of MINNESOTA spelled out in prominent letters. The design doesn’t “work” any better than the others. WE can choose to consider making a drastic and new change of our flag.

We have included a couple of diagrams from pages of “Color Me!” booklets. These should be convincing to show how complicated, detailed and “crowded” most state seals can be when used on flags. Hard to tell apart, aren’t they?

And, after lengthy study of the 50 state flags, we noticed how Native Americans have fared in the connections we have made to the nation’s fifty state flags. To begin: two of the U.S. state flags’ designs are directly derived from known Native Americans.

First: The flag of Alaska was designed while Alaska was still a Territory by a 13-year-old Native American boy named Bennie Benson. He was of Russian/Aleut and Swedish ancestry, living in a territorial school for boys. His flag design was adopted as the Territorial flag in 1926, and made the Alaska Territory’s official flag in 1957; then, upon Alaska’s admission to statehood in 1959, became the 49th state’s flag. “The blue of the forget-me-not flower and the gold of the Big Dipper.” Bennie’s flag is a clear, simple, and elegant rendition of a tribute to nature. (In 1959, Alaska geographically replaced Minnesota as the northernmost state in the U.S.)

Some forget or don’t think of Hawaiians as Native Americans. But Hawaii’s flag design came about on the orders of their native King Kamehameha I, who promoted it to recognize Great Britain as the Islands’ earliest “friend.” The flag freely adapts the English red, white, and blue stripes in the field of the banner; PLUS, it adds the British Union Jack in the canton of the complete design. The design dates from 1816 and was recommissioned and dedicated in 1845 by King Kamehameha III. Symbolically, the eight broad red, white, and blue horizontal stripes signify the eight islands comprising the nation of Hawaii, the 50th state.

Of all of the state flags of the U.S., New Mexico’s is, by all criteria of design, the most striking. The state was represented by only one flag previous to this final choice. From about 1912-15, New Mexico displayed an unofficial flag at a national exposition. The parts of this design placed the U.S. flag in the canton and the New Mexico state seal at lower right. Between these were the words, in silver cloth, “New Mexico,” and completing the banner was the number “47″ at upper right, indicating it as the forty-seventh state to join the Union, from January 1912.

The state’s chapter of the DAR pushed for a meaningful and permanent symbol that would more genuinely reflect the coming together of all historical precedents in the region. A contest was held in 1920; Dr. Harry Mera, an archaeologist, won. He was directly influenced by the Zuni sun sign that he had found on a pottery water jar from an old Zia Pueblo ruins. In the center of the yellow field is the Zuni symbol: a pattern of four finger-like rays in the four cardinal directions from a circle (the sun) in the center. The sun sign is red. When placed on a field of bright yellow, the two colors commemorate the colors of Spain, whose explorers were the earliest to claim this territory. This beautiful flag has been flown over the state of New Mexico since 1920.

The few remaining U.S. state flags designed by European-Americans that reference Native Americans do so in an official manner, not with easy to explain iconography that honorably recognizes Native Americans.

The first example is that of the flag of Massachusetts (named after Chief Massachuset of the Algonquin tribes). Chief Massachuset is depicted standing, in buckskin garb, holding a bow in his right hand parallel to his torso. In his left hand he holds an arrow with its point directed downward, signifying the intention of non-violence—peace. Completing the symbols on the blue shield pattern is a strange device showing the sturdy arm of a non-Native, bent in a threatening fashion, wielding a broad sword. This picture is placed directly above the head of Massachuset. What do we make of this? Does the symbol suggest threat? We leave it to your interpretation.

Florida’s flag incorporates their state seal in the center of their flag. We see tropical foliage and palm trees. On the background is a blazing sun symbol and a paddle-wheel steamboat. The Native American in this example is a female figure of the Seminole tribes in elaborate native dress, who is shown scattering flowers.

Among viewers with no knowledge of the history of the treatment of Native Americans in the Southeast U.S., this seems a charming, peaceful scene indeed. But history should never ignore nor forget how the Seminole people were uprooted and set on their Trail of Tears when they were moved in a long overland journey to Oklahoma Territory. It is a sad fact in America’s past. Do Floridians regard this scene on their flag as symbolic of happier times?

Oklahoma’s state flag is arguably one of the most significant of those with Native American derivations.

[Aside: Iit is interesting as to the appearance and pre-history to the current flag. I thought it worthy to note that Oklahoma's earliest flag was red. In the center was a blue-bordered white star with the numeral "46" in the center, as the 46th state to join the Union. American sentiments and concerns caused this red flag to fall into disfavor around the time of the Russian Revolution. Don't you find this interesting?]

From 1917 until 1941 a Choctaw warrior’s shield with symbols of peace– a peace pipe and a laurel branch– was set in the center of a color field called “Choctaw Blue,” making a very handsome emblem, for sure. But in 1941 this flag design suffered a setback when Oklahoma lawmakers felt that few could identify the flag unless OKLAHOMA was added in large letters beneath the shield design. Can anyone take this addition as an improvement?

We left commentary on Minnesota’s current flag design for last because it is our flag, and we really should give it a long second look. The design figures so very strongly with regard to the theme of Native American depiction and history. Minnesotans deserve to know how and when our flag came to have the official seal of the state. The seal was used in the center of the flag from its beginning in 1893. Its details, as a seal to mark documents, treaties, and declarations by the Minnesota state government, were very much as they still are.

Native Americans faced strong prejudice from European immigrants who were settling in Minnesota and pushing westward. Native Americans were treated as wards of the state; promises made to them, signed agreements, and formal treaties were mismanaged by the white representatives of the government. So enraged had the  Dakota/Sioux bands of Native Americans become that enlarging bands of renegade natives dared confrontations that led to open conflict. As these confrontations and raids increased between Native Americans and pioneers over broken promises, a family of white settlers was tortured and massacred. The year was 1862, and that act greatly influenced the whites’ fear and hatred of natives. This unfortunate event in history concluded with the capture of the guilty members, who were sentenced to be hanged in what became largest mass execution in the history of the United States.

And so it is no stretch of understanding to connect this horrific incident to the attitude of the artist’s depiction of a Native American shown riding toward the setting sun in the seal design, —a plainly undisguised view of Manifest Destiny—and the inevitability of the rich Minnesota land being taken by white settlers, and the Dakota/Sioux losing their homeland. It is true that the natives were hunter-gatherers and not farmers, which the Europeans were. But to the natives it meant loss of hunting lands, fishing streams, and their sense of wide expanses of nature from which they were being driven.

Of all of the 50 state’s flags with references to the original peoples here, Minnesota’s treatment, in symbolism, is the most harsh. The few Native Americans that I’ve asked to comment on Minnesota’s flag—who understand the meaning in the picture—expressed open dislike for our state’s flag.

From early in the 1960s, growing recognition of the issue gave cause for change of the design of the official seal. In 1983, the path of the Native American on horse back was adjusted to convince the viewer that the Native American and his horse were now riding off to the South instead of to the West. Now, who says that OUR Minnesota flag shouldn’t be changed?

Commenting on symbolism and flags, Randy Howe, in his book, Flags of the 50 States and Their Incredible Stories*, writes:

“On this particular flag, the farmer represents Minnesota’s agricultural history. The tree stump speaks to Minnesota’s lumber industry. The Native American in the background certainly symbolizes the region’s native population and the treatment they received from the settlers and the government. If this image can be interpreted in a negative fashion, then it is hard to say that the flag of Minnesota is beautiful. Is this figure of a Native American a tribute or just a painful reminder?”

*2002; Globe Pequot Press; Guilford, CT.

But, in the end, except for the Alaska, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and New Mexico flags discussed here, Florida and Minnesota’s flags, like two dozen others, can barely be recognized as different from one another when raised on thirty-foot poles. So any value of criticism is practically moot; details of persons, places, or things are hardly discernible anyway. Can we recognize Minnesota’s flag from the others?

YES, we could, easily: Our new proposal is plainly and clearly recognizable from a great distance without a trace of bygone enmities and prejudices. Our new design serves ONLY beauty of nature and the evocation of peace.

The first things you note are the flags that stand out because of their attractive designs, like the ones we have pointed out before, e.g., New Mexico, Texas, Maryland, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, and a few others. However, others are noticed because of designs and symbols that each implies or sometimes curiously overstates.

These could be useful as subjects for a “50-state Flag Trivia” series of questions.

For Example:

1.) What U.S. State flag acknowledges another nation, which figured in the U.S. territory’s early history, and includes the image of the first nation’s flag in its flag design?

ANSWER: Hawaii’s flag. The British Union Jack is in the canton area of their flag. (Interesting bit–King Kamehameha had the design made for this flag. And there is the untidy relationship between the British and the islanders—Britain’s famous Captain Cook was killed by cannibals on the Main Island.)

2.) What U.S. State’s flag is really NOT a flag in the almost universally accepted form of a flag?

ANSWER: That would be Ohio, whose flag is actually called a “burgee.” It is a swallow-tailed shape. Seems more like a banner suitable for flying at a yacht club or on a boat. But it has been Ohio’s flag for a long time; and it IS fairly attractive, otherwise.

3.) What U.S. state’s flag has front and back (obverse and reverse) sides? (This question was asked of a contestant on a recent TV game show–the player failed to come up with a correct answer.)

ANSWER: The state is Oregon. The obverse displays the state’s seal and the name of the state in large letters, both details in gold on blue. But, on the reverse side, installed in the center of the blue field is the state’s official animal mascot, also in gold, a peevish-looking beaver. ( Some others of the earliest state flags began with two sides to their original designs–Minnesota’s did. But Oregon’s is still alive and well today.)

4.) What U.S. state’s flag is unique for a couple of reasons—It is the only flag that has a field that is green instead of the usual blue (or white); AND it is the only flag with a portrait head of an historical personage as center to its design?

ANSWER: If you said Washington state, you are correct. Centered in a circular frame in the field of green is the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington, after whom the state is named, of course.

We don’t know what you may do with this, your newfound knowledge of U.S. flags, but just be ready—it could come in handy at impressing someone else.

We in the USA have had changes in our flag since we fought the Revolutionary War—from 1776 until today. Our flag has been changed every time that new states were added to the Union. As recently as 1959 our flag was changed to recognize the admission of Alaska, and then Hawaii, to statehood. It is true that when stars were added to the blue of the canton, no one considered these major changes; we expected the star additions.

But Canada, from the same early days, was claimed by Britain, held as part of the U.K. Commonwealth, and still is. The United Kingdom’s territories, as such, are not as large as in earlier times. Many have demanded their own nationhood and freedom from the English crown. Canada had long lived under the flag, which was marked in the canton by the British Union Jack with a shield in lower right position–signifying four royal houses, England, Scotland, Ireland, and France—with red maple leaves at the base of the shield, all on a field of red. (Incidentally, maple leaves had been shown as green until 1957.) This flag was known as the British Red Ensign.

The history of the campaigns and designs for a Canadian flag–one of their very own–to signify that Canada’s government had thrown off some
restraints, is a long but civilized one. Success took a while to achieve. But, as recently as February of 1965, Queen Elizabeth herself accepted and presented to the Canadians and the world the new Maple Leaf flag, which Canadians had designed themselves. All of the USA knows this elegant flag, especially Minnesotans who see it a lot, but many probably know how recently it became the official flag of Canada. And did you know of the conflicts between Canada proper and the Province of Quebec—a French-speaking nation-within-a-nation which flies its own flag—white with blue quarters and white fleur-de-lis (the stylized flower design of the iris from old French royal flags).

I don’t have any idea how many people of this country are aware that a similarly long historical campaign has been gong on in another nation-state of the British Commonwealth for an individual flag of their own. New Zealand lives under a flag that claims British affiliation. Their flag shows the British Union Jack at upper left (the canton area) with the constellation of the Southern Cross at right with red stars edged in white, all on a field of blue–the Blue Ensign (not red, like the old Canadian flag).

The design proposals in New Zealand appear to have freshly adopted an element from the design of the Canadian flag; that is, a leaf taken from a native plant (sometimes bordered on either side by wide bars). In the New Zealand design, the plant form is a large leaf of a fern, popularly known in NZ as the “silver fern.” The silver fern flag being promoted by Brian Sweeney and his supporters (nzflag.com) is a very attractive design of which there are a couple of variations. One is a stylized silver fern leaf in the middle of a solid black field.; another design has two broad, blue vertical bars with a white skeletal fern leaf in a middle bar of black.

We don’t really know how long many different designs have been put forth; there are others. One by Jason Paul Troup is called the Kiwi flag (Kiwi is a nickname for New Zealanders). This one is dominated by a rolling breaker shape (white) on water (blue) with vegetal growth (green) accented by the Southern Cross design of stars (gold).

Really, in Canada’s success and New Zealand’s in progress, the honor of having one’s own flag means that, in a significant step apart from the
ubiquitous Union Jack, a nation’s modest pride in independence from colonial rule is theirs.

We support New Zealand’s desire to have their own flag.

The earlier design effort didn’t convince many and the pattern layout now seems less suitable than the new one. Then, too, it became tiresome explaining that this old design of mine seemed much like the ideas for flags that others were promoting. So my first attempt was retired to become a  personal flag. New Minnesota Flag, as a blog title, is the current proposal to change the old state flag.

This new design, like the earlier one, is plainly inspired by a motto from long ago (“L’etoile du Nord”), nature’s colors (night skies, daytime skies, glades of snow, and grass), landscapes (easy slopes of a band of white,) and some contemporary slogans (like sky-blue waters and land of 10,000 lakes). We avoided dealing with political inferences (the state seal), and we acknowledged elements of vexillology only briefly.
The assembling of the elements was quickly achieved following the language of the description (above). A wide, dark blue vertical bar, taking up one third of the width of the whole flag, was put in place at the hoist position, at the top of which we placed our Star of the North. At the right, extending the remaining two thirds of the flag, we placed the horizontal bars. From top to bottom, these were the remaining nature colors of the design: sky blue for the natural daytime sky, then a narrower bar of white with a gentle slumping bend, and at bottom, a horizontal bar of green. The shape of the white bar strongly evokes a simple, natural landscape.

Vexillologists would refer to the placement of the Star of the North in our design as the prime spot for visibility—in the canton at upper left. The star can be easily seen whether the flag is in flight or hanging limply from a staff. The language of flags uses the word “bars”—different from “stripes”—and, of course, I would point out that the number of colors used as tricolor, which our flag is not, is a four-color scheme. The colors we have chosen come from a standard color set; in our case, the Pantone Scale.”

“There it is,” I told him. “As basic and simple as that, no other references but pure nature, which, I feel, expresses the core essence of our state—MINNESOTA—and it’s most appropriate in a NEW flag to say so. Don’t you think?