flag of Minnesota

File:MN state flag construction set.svg

Minnesota statute 1.141 states that "The design of the state flag as certified in the report of the State Emblems Redesign Commission... is adopted as the official state flag."{{cite web |year=2006 |title=1.141 Official State Flag |website=Office of the Revisor of Statutes |url=http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/getpub.php?type=s&year=current&num=1.141 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329212556/https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/1.141 |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |access-date=October 7, 2007 |publisher=State of Minnesota}} The text of the law defers the details of the current flag's appearance and design to the Commission's report, which was dated January 1, 2024.{{cite web |title=The New Official Flag and Great Seal: Report of the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission to the Minnesota Legislature and Governor |url=https://www.sos.state.mn.us/media/5892/2023-state-emblem-redesign-commission-report.pdf |author=Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission |date=January 1, 2024 |publisher=Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State |access-date=November 16, 2024 |archive-date=December 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203214041/https://www.sos.state.mn.us/media/5892/2023-state-emblem-redesign-commission-report.pdf |url-status=live }} The report of the State Emblems Redesign Commission described the design as the following:

{{Blockquote|text=On its left side, the flag contains a dark blue background with a white, 8 point star. One of the points of the star points north. The dark background is in the shape of the outline of the State of Minnesota. The remainder of the flag is a solid, bright blue.}} The report also features imagery and a construction sheet, more precisely designating the flag's colors and appearance.

The flag has an aspect ratio of 3:5. The shape of the flag's dark blue region represents the shape of the state of Minnesota itself. The flag's white star is a regular octagram, having the Schläfli symbol {8/3}; the floor of the rotunda in the Minnesota State Capitol has an identical octagram design. The State Emblems Redesign Commission's report also contains an official construction sheet for the flag.

The flag uses three colors: dark blue, light blue, and white. Respectively, they represent the night sky, the waters of Minnesota, and Polaris, the North Star.{{cite web |title=History of the Minnesota Flag |url=https://thievesriver.com/blogs/articles/the-spectacular-history-of-the-minnesota-flag |website=Thieves' River Apparel |date=October 30, 2024 |access-date=16 December 2024 |archive-date=December 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219090553/https://thievesriver.com/blogs/articles/the-spectacular-history-of-the-minnesota-flag |url-status=live }} The State Emblems Redesign Commission's report provided technical specifications for the flag's colors, alternately in the distinct Web color, CMYK and Pantone systems:

File:Minnesota Flag Flying Outside State Capitol.jpg on Statehood Day]]

The flag is to be flown over the Minnesota State Capitol from sunrise to sunset. When the flag is folded for storage, it should be folded in the same way as the national flag.

Mutilating, defiling, or casting contempt upon the flag, attaching any design to the flag, or using the flag for advertising were misdemeanor offenses under State Statute 609.40, excepting flags on written or printed documents. However, following the 1990 Supreme Court ruling United States v. Eichman, enforcement of this law has been deemed unconstitutional.{{Cite news |last=Mercer |first=David |date=2016-08-01 |title=States' flag-burning laws unconstitutional, but persist |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2016/08/01/states-flag-burning-laws-unconstitutional-but-persist/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802183300/http://thedailyrecord.com/2016/08/01/states-flag-burning-laws-unconstitutional-but-persist/ |archive-date=2016-08-02 |work=The Daily Record |location=Urbana, IL |publication-place=Baltimore, MD |agency=Associated Press |language=en}}

The flag of Minnesota did not have an official folding technique until 2010, when instructions for folding the 1983 State Flag for storage and display were codified in law.{{Cite web |title=Chapter 333 - MN Laws |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2010/0/333/#laws.2.1.0 |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=www.revisor.mn.gov}} The folding for storage technique was done in the same manner as the U.S. flag, but the display technique was developed by members of the Minnesota National Guard, and was so detailed that it was confusing to some.{{Cite news |last=Brunswick |first=Mark |date=May 4, 2010 |title=Let 'L'Etoile' shine when folding the flag |url=http://www.startribune.com/let-l-etoile-shine-when-folding-the-flag/92730624/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811223049/https://www.startribune.com/let-l-etoile-shine-when-folding-the-flag/92730624/ |archive-date=August 11, 2017 |access-date=August 11, 2017 |work=Star Tribune}} The original code (which was repealed in 2024 with the adoption of the new state flag) read:

{{Blockquote|text=Fold the flag four times lengthwise so that one section displays the three stars of the state crest and the text "L'Etoile du Nord." Fold each side behind the displayed section at a 90-degree angle so that the display section forms a triangle. Take the section ending with the hoist and fold it at a 90-degree angle across the bottom of the display section and then fold the hoist back over so it is aligned with the middle of the display section. Fold the other protruding section directly upwards so that its edge is flush with the display section and then fold it upwards along a 45-degree angle so that a mirror of the display section triangle is formed. Fold the mirror section in half from the point upwards, then fold the remaining portion upwards, tucking it between the display section and the remainder of the flag.}}

{{multiple image

| total_width = 250

| align = right

| direction = vertical

| caption_align = center

| header = Flag of Minnesota, 1893–1957

| image1 = Flag of Minnesota (1893–1957).svg

| caption1 = Obverse

| image2 = Flag of Minnesota (1893).svg

| caption2 = Reverse

| perrow = 1/1

}}

For the first 35 years of statehood, Minnesota had no official state flag. That changed with preparations for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, where each state was invited to showcase its identity and achievements. In 1891, the Minnesota legislature voted to sponsor an exhibit at the fair, and then Governor William Rush Merriam appointed an all-male board to oversee the state's participation. Responsibility for organizing the display of "women’s work", however, fell to the Women's Auxiliary Board, a group of female volunteers.

Recognizing the need for a visual symbol to represent Minnesota, the Auxiliary Board initiated the creation of the state’s first official flag. A six-woman committee, led by Mrs. Franklyn L. Greenleaf, launched a public design contest in 1892 that drew more than 200 entries. In February 1893, they selected a design by Amelia Hyde Center, a Minneapolis artist and leatherworker. She received a $15 prize ({{inflation|US|15|1893|fmt=eq}}) for her winning entry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.leg.state.mn.us/webcontent/leg/symbols/flagarticle.pdf|title=The Origin of the Minnesota State Flag|last=Becker|first=William|website=Minnesota State Legislature|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303184704/http://www.leg.state.mn.us/webcontent/leg/symbols/flagarticle.pdf|url-status=live}}

With support from the Auxiliary Board, the Minnesota legislature passed an act on April 4, 1893, officially adopting Center’s design as the first state flag of Minnesota.{{cite news |last1=Convery |first1=William |title=Who designed the Minnesota state flag? |url=https://www.minnpost.com/mnopedia/2023/07/who-designed-the-minnesota-state-flag/ |access-date=25 October 2024 |work=MinnPost |date=July 10, 2023 |archive-date=September 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915224224/https://www.minnpost.com/mnopedia/2023/07/who-designed-the-minnesota-state-flag/ |url-status=live }}

File:Minnesota_state_flag_makers_(1893).png

The first physical version of the flag, made of silk, was embroidered by sisters Pauline and Thomane Fjelde. Their workmanship earned a gold medal at the fair where it was displayed.{{cite web|url=http://www.mnterritorialpioneers.org/info/flag.htm|title=Flag of the State of Minnesota|author=MN Territorial Pioneers, Inc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025215334/http://www.mnterritorialpioneers.org/info/flag.htm|archive-date=October 25, 2010|url-status=dead|access-date=February 20, 2011}}

Center's design was white on the obverse side and blue on the reverse. At the center of both sides was the state seal encircled by a white moccasin flowers (a flower indigenous to Minnesota) overlaying a blue disc.{{Cite web |title=First state flag by Fjelde sisters {{!}} Collections Record {{!}} Minnesota Historical Society |url=https://collections.mnhs.org/search/collections/record/6093d0b3-a27b-474f-a398-5ee5b36672db |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=collections.mnhs.org |language=en}} The seal depicted a scene including a farmer plowing while a Native American on horseback rides westward. A red ribbon across the seal bore the motto, {{Lang|fr|L'Étoile du Nord}} (in French, "The Star of the North"). The years 1819 (Fort Snelling's founding), 1858 (statehood), and 1893 (flag adoption) appeared in gold around the seal. Below it, "Minnesota" was written in gold. Surrounding the seal were 19 gold stars arranged in clusters forming a five-pointed-star, symbolizing Minnesota as the 19th state admitted to the union after the original 13.

Historians suggest the design drew inspiration from Minnesota infantry flags used during the Civil War, many of which consisted of a blue field with the state seal or an American eagle and a scroll. Similar banners were standard issue for all U.S. infantry regiments from 1890 to 1904. {{cite web |title=State Symbols |url=http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/govser/GOVSER2.pdf |website=Minnesota House of Representatives |access-date=August 20, 2009 |archive-date=December 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224225136/http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/govser/GOVSER2.pdf%20 |url-status=live }}

File:Flag of Minnesota (1957-1983).svg

File:Minnesota Bicentennial 13c 1976 issue.jpg

The Minnesota state flag was redesigned in 1957 in anticipation of the state's centennial in 1958. As part of broader efforts to commemorate 100 years of statehood, the legislature saw an opportunity to modernize the flag’s appearance and improve its practicality. The original flag’s two-sided design with a white obverse and blue reverse was expensive to manufacture and prone to fraying in high winds. To address these concerns, the new version featured a uniform design and blue field on both sides, allowing for a single-layer, more durable construction that was also more cost-effective to produce.

The floral elements were also updated for botanical accuracy. The original depiction of moccasin flowers was replaced with pink-and-white lady's-slippers, the official state flower of Minnesota.{{cite web|url=http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/mnstatehistory/state_flag_of_minnesota.html |title=The State Flag of Minnesota |access-date=October 7, 2007 |publisher=Minnesota State Mankato |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006170534/http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/mnstatehistory/state_flag_of_minnesota.html|archive-date=October 6, 2007|url-status=dead}}

The redesign also simplified the central emblem, which featured three concentric circular fields. At the center was the Seal of Minnesota. Encircling it was a blue ring, adorned with a wreath of pink-and-white lady’s-slippers and a red ribbon bearing the years 1819 and 1893 marking the founding of Fort Snelling and the adoption of Minnesota’s original state flag. The year 1858, denoting Minnesota’s admission to the union, appeared in gold at the top of the ring.

Surrounding this was a white outer ring displaying 19 gold stars arranged in five radial clusters. Four clusters each contained four stars, while the top-center cluster included two stars flanking a larger one, symbolizing the North Star. The number of stars represented Minnesota’s position as the 19th state admitted to the Union after the original 13. Below the seal, between the two lower star clusters, the state’s name appeared in red. Both the blue and white rings were bordered in gold.{{cite web |title=State Flag |url=https://www.sos.state.mn.us/about-minnesota/state-symbols/state-flag/ |website=Minnesota Secretary of State |access-date=March 19, 2023 |archive-date=December 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216033622/https://www.sos.state.mn.us/about-minnesota/state-symbols/state-flag/ |url-status=live }}

File:Flag_of_Minnesota_(1983-2024).svg

In 1983, the flag underwent a redesign that included a redrawing of the seal and a lightening of the blue field from royal blue to a medium blue, though the exact shade varied among manufacturers. The flag maintained a rectangular shape with the emblem centered on a blue field. By statute, the flag was bordered with gold and finished with gold fringe, although the fringe was rarely seen on outdoor flags, being mostly reserved for indoor versions.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

Several updates were made to the seal’s imagery. The Indigenous figure was repositioned to face more toward the farmer, emphasizing a changed perspective. The Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls were added, highlighting their historical importance in transportation, industry, and settlement. Behind the falls, three pine trees were included to represent the state tree (the Norway pine) and the three pine regions of the state: the St. Croix, Mississippi, and Lake Superior.{{cite web |date=1983 |title=Minnesota Statutes – 1.135 State Seal |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=1.135 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609183928/https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=1.135 |archive-date=June 9, 2012 |access-date=June 9, 2012 |work=Office of the Revisor of Statutes}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=About the Minnesota Flag, its adoption and history |url=http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/flags/mn_flag.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811222037/https://www.netstate.com/states/symb/flags/mn_flag.htm |archive-date=August 11, 2017 |access-date=August 11, 2017 |website=Netstate}} The seal continued to feature three significant years in Minnesota history—1819, 1858, and 1893—along with the pink-and-white lady's slipper and 19 stars arranged as in the 1957 flag.

{{see also|Seal of Minnesota#Criticism of the 1858 seal}}

Criticism of the 1983 design steadily grew over the following decades, fueling calls for change. Detractors argued that the flag was overly complex, difficult to distinguish at a distance, and too similar to other state flags that featured blue fields with state seals.{{cite web |author=Kaye |first=Ted |title=2001 State/Provincial Flag Survey |url=http://www.nava.org/flag-design/survey/state-provincial-survey-2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150223204701/http://www.nava.org/flag-design/survey/state-provincial-survey-2001 |archive-date=February 23, 2015 |website=North American Vexillological Association}}{{cite journal |last1=Knowlton |first1=Steven A. |title=A Sky-Blue Flag for the Land of the Sky-Tinted Water |journal=Vexillum |volume= |issue=26 |publisher=North American Vexillological Association |date=June 2024 |pages=20–30}} Additionally, some critics, including Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, objected to the imagery of the state seal—viewing it as a representation of Manifest Destiny. These concerns, combined with growing public interest in a more inclusive and visually effective state symbol, eventually led the Minnesota Legislature to establish a redesign commission in 2023.

File:Proposed flag of Minnesota (1957).svg

In 1957, a proposed alternative to Minnesota’s state flag was introduced by Representative John Tracy Anderson in collaboration with Major General Joseph E. Nelson, then Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard and a heraldry enthusiast. The design featured 19 stars arranged to form a larger star, set within a vertical triband of red, white, and blue. Anderson promoted the flag as a stronger alternative to the plain blue flag with the state seal, which had been proposed by a legislative commission that year. Although the proposal gained some attention, it was ultimately rejected by the Minnesota House of Representatives in a 48–23 vote. Nelson supported retaining the original 1893 flag until a more distinctive and symbolic design could be adopted.{{cite web |url=https://mnflag.tripod.com/anderson.html |title=Proposal for a new Minnesota state flag (1957) |author= |date= |access-date=27 May 2023 |archive-date=June 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617203644/https://mnflag.tripod.com/anderson.html |url-status=live }}

File:Minnesota North Star Flag.svg

The North Star Flag was created in 1988 by Lee Herold and Reverend William Becker as a proposed alternative to Minnesota's state flag.{{cite news |last=Derosier |first=Alex |date=March 25, 2022 |title=Minnesota's state flag doesn't get much love. Why it vexes experts who want it changed |url=https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/minnesota/minnesotas-state-flag-doesnt-get-much-love-why-it-vexes-experts-who-want-it-changed |access-date=November 23, 2023 |newspaper=Duluth News Tribune |archive-date=December 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221225518/https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/minnesota/minnesotas-state-flag-doesnt-get-much-love-why-it-vexes-experts-who-want-it-changed |url-status=live }} Like previous designs of the state flag, it features a yellow star symbolizing the state motto {{lang|fr|L'Étoile du Nord}} ("The Star of the North"). The design also includes the colors of blue, white, and green representing water, winter, and forests, respectively.

Although never officially adopted, the design gained significant grassroots support. It was presented to the state legislature in 1989 with backing from Republican representative Gil Gutknecht and later won an unofficial design contest in 2001 judged by vexillologists.{{Cite news |last=Croman |first=John |date=March 23, 2022 |title=Minnesota lawmakers ponder changing flag and seal |work=KARE 11 |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/politics/minn-lawmakers-ponder-changing-state-flag/89-6a41a50d-a7cb-430f-bb8b-5bb511ecba1e |access-date=November 23, 2023}} The flag was sold by Herold's Rochester-based flag store and appeared at public events and in media coverage, making it one of the most recognizable unofficial symbols of Minnesota.{{Cite news |last=Huppert |first=Boyd |date=June 26, 2023 |title=Minnesota to get a new state flag. Meet the man who spent decades trying to change it. |work=KARE 11 |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/land-of-10000-stories/minnesota-to-get-a-new-state-flag-meet-the-man-who-spent-decades-trying-to-change-it-rochester/89-8ae8020f-76ab-417d-98a2-7e3fd2512580 |access-date=November 23, 2023}}

Herold continued to advocate for the design in the decades that followed. In 2023, he gave a flag design testimony before the State Emblems Redesign Commission, but the North Star Flag was not selected as a finalist in the redesign process.{{Cite news |last=Stolle |first=Matthew |date=November 22, 2023 |title=Six finalists are picked to be the new state flag; North Star flag was not one of them |work=Post-Bulletin |url=https://www.postbulletin.com/news/minnesota/six-finalists-are-picked-to-be-the-new-state-flag-north-star-flag-was-not-one-of-them |access-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=January 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113190706/https://www.postbulletin.com/news/minnesota/six-finalists-are-picked-to-be-the-new-state-flag-north-star-flag-was-not-one-of-them |url-status=live }}

While the final 2024 design does not directly derive from it, the North Star Flag played a notable role in public discourse around flag redesign, helping to sustain interest in replacing the previous state flag.

In April 2021 a student from Wayzata High School contacted State Senator Ann Johnson Stewart to discuss creating a bill to change the state flag. Senator Johnson Stewart agreed and worked with her colleague Senator Mary Kunesh to author the bills HF284 and SF847 to introduce to the 92nd Legislature. The bills outlined the State Emblems Redesign Commission that would later go into effect after the bill's passage several years later. The bills did not advance during the 92nd Legislative session. On March 22, 2022, two Democratic-Farmer-Labor members of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Mike Freiberg and Peter Fischer, introduced a bill to redesign the state's flag and seal. Fischer began supporting a flag redesign in 2017 after a group of high school students raised the issue to him. The law outlines specific guidelines for the redesign, stipulating that the new designs "must accurately and respectfully reflect Minnesota's shared history, resources, and diverse cultural communities" and that symbols representing only a single community or person are prohibited. It was proposed as part of a state budget bill and was opposed by Republican representatives, who viewed it as a low priority.{{Cite web |date=April 13, 2022 |title=New State Flag? Proposal At Minnesota Capitol Would Move To Change It |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/new-state-flag-proposal-at-minnesota-capitol-would-move-to-change-it/ |access-date=November 23, 2023 |website=CBS News-Minnesota |archive-date=December 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220145626/https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/new-state-flag-proposal-at-minnesota-capitol-would-move-to-change-it/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Brooks |first=Jennifer |date=April 23, 2022 |title=Oh say can you see a better flag for Minnesota |work=Star Tribune |location=Minneapolis |url=https://www.startribune.com/oh-say-can-you-see-a-better-flag-for-minnesota/600167405/?refresh=true |access-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123090215/https://www.startribune.com/oh-say-can-you-see-a-better-flag-for-minnesota/600167405/?refresh=true |url-status=live }}

In May 2023, as a part of the annual state budget, the Minnesota Legislature established the State Emblems Redesign Commission, tasked with proposing new designs for Minnesota's flag and seal.{{cite web|url=https://www.leg.mn.gov/leg/cc/Default?type=bill&year=2023-93&bill=HF-1830|title=HF1830|website=Office of the Revisor of Statutes|year=2023|access-date=May 24, 2023|archive-date=December 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221225341/https://www.leg.mn.gov/leg/cc/Default?type=bill&year=2023-93&bill=HF-1830|url-status=live}} The legislation dictates that, barring any contrary legislation, the chosen flag design will be adopted as the state flag on May 11, 2024.{{cite web |title=HF 1830 4th Engrossment |website=MN Revisor's Office |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF1830&type=bill&version=4&session=ls93&session_year=2023&session_number=0 |ref={{sfnref |MN Revisor's Office}} |access-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721035730/https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=HF1830&type=bill&version=4&session=ls93&session_year=2023&session_number=0 |url-status=live }} The committee has 13 members, including representatives of the Indian Affairs Council, the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, and the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, along with three members of the general public appointed by Governor Tim Walz.{{Cite news |last=Cummings |first=Caroline |date=June 27, 2023 |title=Group will put forward a new design for Minnesota state seal, flag by next year |work=CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/commission-set-to-create-new-vision-for-minnesotas-flag/ |access-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123090217/https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/commission-set-to-create-new-vision-for-minnesotas-flag/ |url-status=live }} The committee held its first meeting on September 5.{{Cite news |last1=Fitzgerald |first1=Kilat |last2=Henry |first2=Ben |date=September 5, 2023 |title=Commission on redesigning Minnesota's flag holds first meeting |work=KSTP News |url=https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/commission-on-redesigning-minnesotas-flag-to-have-first-meeting-tuesday-morning/ |access-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=December 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225094926/https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/commission-on-redesigning-minnesotas-flag-to-have-first-meeting-tuesday-morning/ |url-status=live }}

In October 2023, the committee opened the floor to public submissions for new flag designs. They received 2,123 flag proposals and 398 seal designs.{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Steve |last2=James |first2=Derek |date=November 8, 2023 |title=Whole lotta loons: 2,000-plus submissions unveiled for new Minnesota state flag, seal |website=CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/new-minnesota-state-flag-seal-submissions-unveiled/ |access-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=September 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240917160509/https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/new-minnesota-state-flag-seal-submissions-unveiled/ |url-status=live }} Common motifs included the state bird (the loon), alongside depictions of lakes, rivers, and the North Star.{{cite news |last=Willingham |first=AJ |date=November 14, 2023 |title=Minnesota has gotten more than 2,500 design submissions for its new state flag. There are a lot of loons |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/14/us/minnesota-state-flag-submissions-cec/index.html |access-date=November 23, 2023 |website=CNN |archive-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123090220/https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/14/us/minnesota-state-flag-submissions-cec/index.html |url-status=live }} More diverse entries ranged from photographs of dogs and wooden floors to national flags, psychedelic monkey illustrations, and a loon shooting lasers from its eyes, reminiscent of the "Laser Kiwi" flag proposed in New Zealand's 2015-2016 flag referendums.{{Cite news |last=Brooks |first=Jennifer |date=November 9, 2023 |title=Land of 10,000 flags (and loons with laser eyes) |work=Star Tribune |location=Minneapolis |url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-flag-redesign-loons-laser-eyes/600318415/ |access-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=December 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221220808/https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-flag-redesign-loons-laser-eyes/600318415/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Hoff |first=Jennifer |date=November 8, 2023 |title=For better or worse, thousands of new Minnesota flag designs are publicly released |work=KARE 11 |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/thousands-of-new-mn-flag-designs-are-publicly-released/89-7834b03a-2f8e-464b-8266-ba65dc8b42dd |access-date=November 23, 2023}} Several submissions were unchanged images of the current Minnesota state flag.

On November 21, 2023, the commission convened at the Minnesota Senate Building to review the submissions.{{cite news |last=Derosier |first=Alex |date=November 21, 2023 |title=Panel picks 6 finalists for redesigned MN state flag — and none have loons |work=Pioneer Press |url=https://www.twincities.com/2023/11/21/panel-picks-6-finalists-for-redesigned-minnesota-state-flag-and-none-have-loons/ |access-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=January 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107130518/https://www.twincities.com/2023/11/21/panel-picks-6-finalists-for-redesigned-minnesota-state-flag-and-none-have-loons/ |url-status=live }} Although initially intending to select five finalists, six designs were chosen. All featured a star motif and the colors blue and white, while none included the loon, as the committee felt it symbolized only part of Minnesota.{{cite news |last=Bierschbach |first=Briana |date=November 21, 2023 |title=Here are the six finalists for a new Minnesota state flag and five for a new state seal |work=Star Tribune |url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-emblems-redesign-commission-aims-to-pick-five-finalists-tuesday-for-new-flag-seal/600321457/?refresh=true |access-date=November 23, 2023 |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114214738/https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-emblems-redesign-commission-aims-to-pick-five-finalists-tuesday-for-new-flag-seal/600321457/?refresh=true |url-status=live }} By December 13, the finalists were narrowed to three designs: F1953, F2100, and F944.{{cite web |last=Gorham |first=Quinn |date=December 13, 2023 |title=A closer look at each of Minnesota's three flag finalists |url=https://www.kttc.com/2023/12/13/closer-look-each-minnesotas-three-flag-finalists/ |access-date=December 15, 2023 |website=KTTC News |language=en |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117200130/https://www.kttc.com/2023/12/13/closer-look-each-minnesotas-three-flag-finalists/ |url-status=live }}

File:Minnesota flag submission F1953.svg|F1953 – Designed by Andrew Prekker, selected as the basis of the final design on December 15{{cite news |first=Dana |last=Ferguson |date=28 November 2023 |title=Minnesota North Star motto inspired Luverne designer's Minnesota flag entry that is now among 6 finalists |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/11/28/minnesota-state-flag-redesign-finalists-luverne-designer |access-date=4 December 2023 |work=MPR News |archive-date=December 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222235247/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/11/28/minnesota-state-flag-redesign-finalists-luverne-designer |url-status=live }}

File:Minnesota flag submission F2100.svg|F2100 – Designed by John Muller, eliminated on December 15{{cite news |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/12/04/flag-designer-living-in-lone-star-state-hopes-to-win-over-north-star-state-panel |title=Flag designer living in Lone Star state hopes to win over North Star state panel |first=Dana |last=Ferguson |date=4 December 2023 |work=MPR News |access-date=13 December 2023 |archive-date=December 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213215655/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/12/04/flag-designer-living-in-lone-star-state-hopes-to-win-over-north-star-state-panel |url-status=live }}

File:Minnesota flag submission F944.svg|F944 – The "Mirror of the Sky Flag", designed by Todd and Peter Pitman, eliminated on December 15{{cite web |url=https://flag.mn/ |title=Mirror of the Sky – A new flag for Minnesota |first1=Todd |last1=Pitman |author2=Peter Pitman |date= |access-date=24 November 2023 |archive-date=December 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216085350/https://flag.mn/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/11/22/meet-3-people-whose-designs-are-finalists-for-the-new-minnesota-flag |title=Meet 3 people whose designs are finalists for the new Minnesota flag |first1=Cathy |last1=Wurzer |author2=Brian Bakst |author3=Alanna Elder |author4=Estelle Timar-Wilcox |date=22 November 2023 |work=MPR News |access-date=26 November 2023 |archive-date=December 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223180343/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/11/22/meet-3-people-whose-designs-are-finalists-for-the-new-minnesota-flag |url-status=live }}

File:Minnesota flag submission F29.svg|F29 – "Starflake",{{Cite web |last1=Wittnebel |first1=Aaron |last2=Olson |first2=Bjorn |last3=Drazkowski |first3=Steve |date=December 29, 2023 |title=Minority Report |url=https://21588026.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21588026/SERC%20Minority%20Report%20FINAL.pdf |access-date=January 3, 2024 |website=Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission |page=10}} designed by Brandon Hundt, eliminated on December 13{{cite web |last=Hundot |first=Brandon |date=26 October 2015 |title=The latest design for a new Minnesota flag is inspired by l'etoile du nord |url=https://brandonhundt.com/the-latest-design-for-a-new-minnesota-flag-is-inspired-by-letoile-du-nord/ |access-date=24 November 2023 |archive-date=December 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208021356/https://brandonhundt.com/the-latest-design-for-a-new-minnesota-flag-is-inspired-by-letoile-du-nord/ |url-status=live }}

File:Minnesota flag submission F1154.svg|F1154 – Designed by Ross Bruggink, eliminated on December 13{{cite web |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/11/30/designers-state-seal-entry-could-be-last-hope-for-loonloving-minnesotans |title=Designer's state seal entry could be last hope for loon-loving Minnesotans |first=Dana |last=Ferguson |date=30 November 2023 |work=MPR News |access-date=13 December 2023 |archive-date=December 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213222841/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/11/30/designers-state-seal-entry-could-be-last-hope-for-loonloving-minnesotans |url-status=live }}

File:Minnesota flag submission F1435.svg|F1435 – Designed by Sarah Agaton Howes, eliminated on December 13{{cite web |url=https://minnesotanativenews.org/a-flag-that-unites-us-mn-redesigns-state-flag%EF%BF%BC%EF%BF%BC/ |title=A Flag That Unites Us – MN Redesigns State Flag |first=Emma |last=Needham |date=22 November 2023 |work=Minnesota Native News |access-date=24 November 2023 |archive-date=December 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221091622/https://minnesotanativenews.org/a-flag-that-unites-us-mn-redesigns-state-flag%EF%BF%BC%EF%BF%BC/ |url-status=live }}

On December 15, 2023, the committee selected design F1953 as the final flag, eliminating proposals F2100 and F944.{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2023 |title=New Minnesota state flag selected |url=https://www.fox9.com/news/new-minnesota-state-flag-selected |access-date=December 15, 2023 |website=FOX 9 |language=en-US |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119073931/https://www.fox9.com/news/new-minnesota-state-flag-selected |url-status=live }} By December 19, after graphic designers Tyler and Jenae Michaletz presented several variations of the finalist designs, the commission narrowed the choices to five variations of F1953 for the final vote.{{cite web |url=https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/12/19/commission-finalizes-new-minnesota-state-flag/ |title=Commission finalizes new Minnesota state flag |author=Madison McVan |date=19 December 2023 |work=Minnesota Reformer |access-date=29 July 2024 |archive-date=July 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240729232214/https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/12/19/commission-finalizes-new-minnesota-state-flag/ |url-status=live }}https://www.jenaemichaletz.com/portfolio/minnesota-state-flag

File:Flag of Minnesota.svg|A2 (final design)

File:Minnesota flag submission F1953 - B2.svg|B2

File:Minnesota flag submission F1953 - C2.svg|C2

File:Minnesota flag submission F1953 - D2.svg|D2

File:Minnesota flag submission F1953 - E2.svg|E2

File:Rotunda floor of the Minnesota State Capitol showing 8-pointed star.jpg rotunda.]]

On December 19, 2023, the commission officially selected design A2 by an 11-to-1 vote, with B2 receiving the sole dissenting vote.{{Cite web |date=December 19, 2023 |title=This is Minnesota's new flag |url=https://www.fox9.com/news/this-is-minnesotas-new-flag-and-seal |access-date=December 19, 2023 |website=FOX 9 |language=en-US |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119073918/https://www.fox9.com/news/this-is-minnesotas-new-flag-and-seal |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=December 19, 2023 |title=Minnesota's new state flag design is finalized – CBS Minnesota |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesotas-new-state-flag-design-is-finalized/ |first1=Caroline |last1=Cummings |first2=Anthony |last2=Bettin |access-date=December 19, 2023 |website=CBS News |language=en-US |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119211157/https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesotas-new-state-flag-design-is-finalized/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news|work=Minnesota Public Radio|title=Let it fly: Minnesota officially has a new flag|first=Dana|last=Ferguson|date=December 19, 2023|url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/12/19/new-minnesota-flag-final-design|quote="What I've struggled with is the stripes, the stars and stripes, it feels predictable, it doesn't necessarily feel different," said commission member Kate Beane about the original concept as she advocated for the simpler design. "I understand the nod to agriculture. I think having the outline of the state is a nod to the land base and is a nod to agriculture."|archive-date=January 17, 2024|access-date=December 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117071511/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/12/19/new-minnesota-flag-final-design|url-status=live}}

The new flag officially became Minnesota’s state flag on May 11, 2024, coinciding with the state’s annual Statehood Day celebrations.{{cite news |last=Bierschbach |first=Briana |date=December 19, 2023 |title='It's going to last': Minnesota panel settles on final state flag design |url=https://www.startribune.com/tuesday-we-get-a-flag-minnesota-commission-to-finalize-new-state-flag-design-north-star/600329292/ |access-date=December 19, 2023 |newspaper=Star Tribune |location=Minneapolis |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114214538/https://www.startribune.com/tuesday-we-get-a-flag-minnesota-commission-to-finalize-new-state-flag-design-north-star/600329292/ |url-status=live }}

Public reaction to the final design of the 2024 Minnesota state flag was mixed, with many praising its simplicity and symbolism, while others criticized the change.{{cite news |last1=Van Oot |first1=Torey |title=Minnesota's new state flag takes flight |url=https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2024/05/10/minnesota-state-flag-statehood-day-debut-buildings |access-date=September 19, 2024 |work=Axios Twin Cities |date=May 10, 2024 |archive-date=May 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524100050/https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2024/05/10/minnesota-state-flag-statehood-day-debut-buildings |url-status=live }} Flag expert Ted Kaye of the North American Vexillological Association described the design as "outstanding", placing it among the top ten U.S. state flags.{{cite web |date=December 19, 2023 |title=Flag expert calls new Minnesota state flag 'outstanding,' top ten in the country |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/12/19/flag-expert-calls-new-minnesota-state-flag-outstanding-top-ten-in-the-country |access-date=December 20, 2023 |website=MPR News |first1=Tom |last1=Crann |author2=Ngoc Bui |language=en |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117071506/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/12/19/flag-expert-calls-new-minnesota-state-flag-outstanding-top-ten-in-the-country |url-status=live }} A local news poll, however, found that only 23% of Minnesota voters supported adopting the new flag, while 21% preferred replacing it with a different design and 49% wanted to keep the existing flag.{{cite news |date=February 2, 2024 |title=KSTP/SurveyUSA poll: Minnesotans want sports betting, Social Security tax elimination |url=https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/kstp-surveyusa-poll-minnesotans-want-sports-betting-social-security-tax-elimination/ |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=KSTP News |first=Tom |last=Hauser |language=en |archive-date=May 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511041315/https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/kstp-surveyusa-poll-minnesotans-want-sports-betting-social-security-tax-elimination/ |url-status=live }}

Democratic leaders praised the inclusive design process and the removal of controversial imagery from the previous flag.{{cite news |last1=Karnowski |first1=Steve |title=Things to know about MN's new, non-racist state flag and seal |url=https://www.twincities.com/2024/01/02/things-to-know-about-minnesotas-new-non-racist-state-flag-and-seal/ |access-date=19 September 2024 |work=Pioneer Press |date=January 4, 2024}} Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, who had previously declined to display the old flag due to its depiction of Indigenous people, called the new version an "upgrade" that better represents all Minnesotans.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Esme |title=Gov. Tim Walz responds to Republican criticisms of new state flag |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/gov-tim-walz-responds-to-republican-criticisms-of-new-state-flag/ |access-date=19 September 2024 |work=CBS News |date=January 29, 2024 |archive-date=September 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919003046/https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/gov-tim-walz-responds-to-republican-criticisms-of-new-state-flag/ |url-status=live }} {{cite news |title=Minnesota Reveals New State Flag, Replaces Old Design of Native American Being Displaced |url=https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/minnesota-reveals-new-state-flag-replaces-old-design-of-native-american-being-displaced |access-date=19 September 2024 |work=Native News Online |date=December 20, 2023}}

Conservative critics argued that the new flag resembled the flag of Somalia or the flag of Puntland. State officials responded that any resemblance was coincidental and noted the specific meaning of the star and colors in the Minnesota context. Secretary of State Steve Simon pointed out that several U.S. state flags resemble foreign flags, such as the Iowa and France, or Texas and Chile.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-20 |title=Minnesota replaced its 'racist' flag. The new one is facing its own outrage |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/minnesota-new-state-flag-reaction-b2467510.html |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=The Independent |language=en |archive-date=February 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207213546/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/minnesota-new-state-flag-reaction-b2467510.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Jr |first=Bernd Debusmann |date=2023-12-20 |title=Minnesota unveils new state flag design |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67778942 |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=BBC News |archive-date=September 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918164847/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67778942 |url-status=live }}

Several rural counties, including Crow Wing, Houston, McLeod, Nobles, Becker, Mower, and Brown, passed resolutions opposing either the new flag, or the process by which it was chosen. In early 2024, Republican legislators introduced bills seeking to place the new flag on a statewide ballot, but these efforts stalled and did not advance during the legislative session.{{Cite web |last=Herald |first=Daily |date=2024-02-14 |title=Commissioners approve resolution asking that new flag, seal decision be rescinded |url=https://www.austindailyherald.com/2024/02/commissioners-approve-resolution-asking-that-new-flag-seal-decision-be-rescinded/ |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=Austin Daily Herald |language=en |archive-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308043506/https://www.austindailyherald.com/2024/02/commissioners-approve-resolution-asking-that-new-flag-seal-decision-be-rescinded/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Kelly |last2=Tribune |first2=Briana Bierschbach Star |title=New Minnesota state flag becomes partisan issue in 2024 |url=https://www.startribune.com/new-state-flag-becomes-partisan-issue-in-2024/600339023/ |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=Star Tribune |date=January 27, 2024 |archive-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308043506/https://www.startribune.com/new-state-flag-becomes-partisan-issue-in-2024/600339023/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-02-07 |title=Becker County comes out strongly against new state flag |url=https://www.dl-online.com/news/local/becker-county-comes-out-strongly-against-new-state-flag |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=Detroit Lakes Tribune |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Brown Co. Board OKs resolution opposing state flag redesign process |url=https://www.nujournal.com/news/local-news/2024/02/28/brown-co-board-oks-resolution-opposing-state-flag-redesign-process/ |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=nujournal.com |language=en-US |archive-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308045426/https://www.nujournal.com/news/local-news/2024/02/28/brown-co-board-oks-resolution-opposing-state-flag-redesign-process/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-24 |title=Nobles County commissioners adopt resolution opposing new Minnesota state flag, seal |url=https://www.dglobe.com/news/local/nobles-county-commissioners-adopt-resolution-opposing-new-minnesota-state-flag-seal |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=Worthington Globe |language=en |archive-date=May 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513181209/https://www.dglobe.com/news/local/nobles-county-commissioners-adopt-resolution-opposing-new-minnesota-state-flag-seal |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-03-05 |title=GOP lawmakers seek public vote on new Minnesota state flag |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-seek-vote-new-minensota-state-flag/89-47b1a64d-7f94-4360-910f-721aa209e55e |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=kare11.com |language=en-US}}

{{Portal|Minnesota}}

• List of Minnesota state symbols

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=1.141 The Minnesota Flag Statute]
• [https://www.leg.state.mn.us/webcontent/leg/symbols/flagarticle.pdf "The Origin of the Minnesota State Flag"] on the Minnesota government website
• [http://mnflag.tripod.com/ North Star Flag website]
• [https://21588026.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21588026/State%20Emblems%20Redesign%20Commission/2023_SERC_Final_Report.pdf "The New Official Flag and Great Seal: Report of the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission to the Minnesota Legislature and Governor"]

{{US state flags}}

{{Minnesota}}

Category:2023 establishments in Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota

Category:Native American history of Minnesota

Category:Native Americans in art

Category:Native American-related controversies

Category:Minnesota culture

Category:Symbols of Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota