Have you ever seen any household or business besides a government building fly the Minnesota state flag? Did you even know what it looked like before you decided to read this article? This flag is rarely seen due to its uninspired, cluttered and forgettable appearance. Meanwhile, many other states such as Maryland, Texas and New Mexico show their flags everywhere. 

Minnesota legislators have been pushing to change the state flag for the past year. This spring, the Minnesota state legislature successfully passed an initiative to form a committee of 13 people to redesign the state flag. The initiative was introduced by state representative Dean Urdahl (R).

The current flag was originally adopted in 1893 and portrays Minnesota’s state seal over a royal blue background. It was the result of a design contest won by Amelia Hide Center. It featured the state seal, like the current flag, but the background was white, and the backside was navy blue —yes, the flag had a backside. It also had red ribbons spewing out from the seal.

The backside was removed in 1957, and the entire flag was changed to navy blue. The current one, created in 1983, simplified the seal and lightened the background to royal blue.

So why do lawmakers want to change the flag? There are two main reasons.

First, some people view the seal as containing racist imagery. It features a white farmer looking up at an Indigenous American riding away on a horse. Critics argue that this depicts white people displacing the Indigenous population of Minnesota.

Second, the flag is poorly designed. It is one of over 20 state flags containing a plain seal (nicknamed “seal on a bedsheet”). The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA), ranked Minnesota’s flag in their top 10 worst state flags of the United States and Canada. Minnesota’s flag also breaks all of NAVA’s five rules of a good flag. 

The first rule is to keep the design simple. It should be simple enough that a child can draw it from memory. Minnesota’s flag is far from simple. I can barely recall the seal’s design due to the many stars, dots and flower petals swarming it.

The second rule is to use meaningful symbolism. Colors, patterns and images on the flag should symbolize something meaningful. The seal’s racist imagery is not reflective of Minnesota’s long-standing Indigenous culture. 

The third rule is to use a limited number of colors. Two or three colors are recommended. The colors must also contrast with each other to give the flag a striking appearance. There are at least eight colors in Minnesota’s current flag. This is far too many. 

The fourth rule is not to use words or seals. Not only is Minnesota’s flag just a seal, but it also has writing. It contains three different years and the state’s name itself. A flag should not have to spell out where you are. Vexillologist Ted Kaye famously said, “If you need to write the name of what you’re representing on your flag, your symbolism has failed.”

The final rule is to make it unique. Minnesota’s flag is not unique. It looks like several other state flag offenders of these five rules. A change would make Minnesota stand out more. 

But if this flag is no good, what would a potential new flag look like? Over the years, there have been many proposals for a new design around the internet. My personal favorite is from 1989. It was created by vexillologists Bill Becker and Lee Harold and is dubbed the “North Star Flag.”

According to Harold, the gold star represents Minnesota’s motto: “L’etoile du Nord” (The North Star) and the state’s natural wealth. The green hills represent the forests and natural wilderness of the state. The white line represents the harsh winters. The remaining deep blue space represents the many lakes and rivers in the state, which alludes to Minnesota’s nickname of the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” Finally, the waviness of the green and white references the Indigenous origins of the state’s name: “Minnesota” comes from “Mni Sota,” which means, “sky-tinted water.”

Many other proposals feature star and winter imagery, much like my favorite. Other proposals incorporate the Nordic cross that flags like Finland and Sweden have, referring to the Scandinavian heritage of many Minnesotans. 

The push for a redesign is not new. This idea has been around since the flag’s current iteration 60 years ago. Harold has lobbied the state legislature to change the flag to his “North Star” design since he first designed it.

The most common argument against the redesign is that it “erases history” by removing the state seal. This is not the case. The current flag will always be part of Minnesota’s history and testify to how far we have come in designing better, more recognizable flags.

Minnesota is part of an ongoing trend of changing state flags. Most recently, Utah has adopted a new flag to replace the “seal on a bedsheet” type that will fly in March 2024. Other states like Maine, Illinois and Michigan have had bills introduced to redesign their “seal on a bedsheet” flags. 

The Minnesota committee will vote on the new design. Minnesotans have the opportunity to submit their own designs. Designs can be submitted via the Minnesota Historical Society’s website or mailed to the commission at 345 Kellogg Blvd. in St. Paul. They are taking submissions until Oct. 30. 

The new flag design should be announced on Jan. 1, 2024. If the legislature approves the new design, the new flag will be officially flown on May 11, 2024, which is Minnesota’s 166th anniversary of achieving US statehood.