NEWS
Minnesota Commission Selects New State Flag
State Emblems Redesign Commission
A special commission tasked with redesigning Minnesota’s state flag made its official selection on Tuesday after four months of debate and more than 2,000 submissions from the public.
Minnesota undertook the effort to redesign the flag and state seal considered offensive to Native Americans. The state’s current flag, which in 1957 was updated from the 1893 original, features the current state seal, which depicts a Native American on horseback holding a spear, while a settler in the foreground plows a field with his rifle nearby.
The state’s 11 officially recognized Dakota and Ojibwe tribes have decried the design as offensive.
The State Emblems Redesign Commission voted 11–1 on a new flag design based on a concept submitted by Andrew Prekker. It features an eight-pointed North Star on a field of dark blue in the shape of the state, with a field of lighter blue to the right. The design plays on the state’s motto, “Star of the North.”
The commission previously selected a new state seal that depicts a loon, the state bird.
The last few days have been surreal for me. Very few things make me speechless in life, but this is one of those moments where its hard to express the sheer gratitude and amazement Ive felt at this whole opportunity, Prekker said in a statement.
Among the many emotions Im feeling, the strongest are a sense of honor, privilege, excitement, and gratitude. It’s such a rare privilege to be able to contribute to our states history in such a special way like this. And Im so proud to be able to say I helped design the new Minnesotan state flag! Its an achievement that I hope brings a lot of unity and pride to our land, and I will hold that fact with great honor for the rest of my life, Prekker said.
It is my greatest hope that this new flag can finally represent our state and all its people properly. That every Minnesotan of every background — including the Indigenous communities and tribal nations whove been historically excluded — can look up at our flag with pride and honor, and see themselves within it, Prekker said.
Im so grateful to the committee who chose my design. I put in many hours of hard work, research, passion, revisions, and asking advice, all to try and create the best possible flag I could. And knowing that the committee (and Minnesotans in general) recognize my flag as something special, means the world to me, Prekker said.
Unless the Legislature rejects them, the new seal and flag will become official on May 11, 2024, when Minnesota observes Statehood Day.
TMX contributed to this article.
