Flag of Missouri
Encyclopedia
The Flag
of the State of Missouri
was designed and stitched in Jackson, Missouri
, by Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver (1885–1959), the wife of former State Senator
R.B. Oliver. Her design was adopted in 1913 and remains unchanged to this day.
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of red, white and blue. These represent valor, purity, vigilance, and justice. The colors also reflect the state's historic status as part of the French
Louisiana (New France)
. In the center white stripe is the Seal of Missouri
, circled by a blue band containing 24 stars, symbolizing Missouri's admission as the 24th U.S. state
.
The flag is described in Section 010.020 of Missouri's Revised Statutes.
In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association
surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 US State, US Territory and Canadian province flags. The Missouri flag ranked in the bottom 25, 48th out of the 72.
Adopted Flag on March 22, 1913
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
of the State of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
was designed and stitched in Jackson, Missouri
Jackson, Missouri
Jackson is a city in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,758 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cape Girardeau County. Jackson is named for U.S. President Andrew Jackson. It is a principal city of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan...
, by Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver (1885–1959), the wife of former State Senator
Missouri Senate
The Missouri State Senate is the upper chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 34 members, representing districts with an average population of 160,000...
R.B. Oliver. Her design was adopted in 1913 and remains unchanged to this day.
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of red, white and blue. These represent valor, purity, vigilance, and justice. The colors also reflect the state's historic status as part of the French
French First Republic
The French First Republic was founded on 22 September 1792, by the newly established National Convention. The First Republic lasted until the declaration of the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon I...
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
. In the center white stripe is the Seal of Missouri
Seal of Missouri
The Great Seal of the State of Missouri was adopted on January 11, 1822. Judge Robert William Wells, who was also a congressman, designed the seal. The center of the seal contains the Great Seal of the United States on the right side, and, on the left, symbols representing the state...
, circled by a blue band containing 24 stars, symbolizing Missouri's admission as the 24th U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
.
The flag is described in Section 010.020 of Missouri's Revised Statutes.
In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association
North American Vexillological Association
The North American Vexillological Association is a membership organization devoted to "vexillology as the scientific study of flags." Flag researchers, designers, collectors, activists, merchants, and other enthusiasts from the United States and Canada meet annually at NAVA meetings in order to...
surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 US State, US Territory and Canadian province flags. The Missouri flag ranked in the bottom 25, 48th out of the 72.
See also
- Symbols of the State of Missouri
Adopted Flag on March 22, 1913