Composition
The Minnesota flag features a concave pentagon of deep blue at the hoist charged with an eight-point white star. The remainder is solid, bright blue.
Minnesota
In prepration for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, a Minnesota Women’s Auxiliary Board was put together to create a design. They hosted a contest and from 200 submissions, local artist Amelia Hyde Center designed the winning flag.
It was embroidered by Pauline and Thomane Fjelde, sisters who won a gold medal for their work. The flag was officially adopted April 4, 1893.
In 1957, the flag was simplified for easier production and changed again in 1983, to reflect updates to the state seal.
In 2023, Minnesota formed the State Emblems Redesign Commission and began accepting public submissions. The chosen flag, a modified design by Andrew Prekker, was adopted May 11, 2024.
Iconography
dark blue field
the night sky, the shape of Minnesota
bright blue field
abundance of water
eight-pointed star
the North Star (L’étoile du Nord), many cultures
Colors
Two distinct blues represent the sky and water.
PMS and hex values provided by the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission.
Night Sky Blue
#002C5A
PMS 648
White
#ffffff
Water Blue
#73C6E5
PMS 305
Construction
The Minnesota flag is produced with the common proportion of 3:5. The proportion and spacing for the flag’s visual elements are rendered here.
The star is a regular octagram, constructed from 8 vertices arranged equally around a circle. Each vertex is connected to the vertex that is 3 turns away.
Previous iterations
1893-1957 Obverse
Original two-sided design by Amelia Hyde Center.
1893-1957 Reverse
The reverse of Center’s design, later deemed too complicated for mass production.
1957-1983
The seal is updated, blue darkened, and reverse removed.
1983-2024
The flag with medium blue and updated seal.
2024-Present
The current flag designed by Andrew Prekker and Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission.
Sources
- Howe, Randy. Flags of the Fifty States: Their Colorful Histories and Significance. Guilford: The Globe Pequot Press, 2002. Print.
- Mitchell, Henry. The State Arms of the Union. Boston: L. Prang & Co, 1876.
- Minnesota Statutes. Chapter 1. Sovereignty, Jurisdiction, Emergency Operation, General Policies. Section 1.141 State Flag.
- The New Official Flag and Great Seal. Report of the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission to the Minnesota Legislature and Governor. January 1 2024.
- Becker, William. “The Origin of the Minnesota State Flag” (PDF). Minnesota State Legislature.
- Lakewood Cemetery
- Flag of Minnesota - Wikipedia