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Minnesota fee chooses new state flag design to exchange previous one deemed problematic

A Minnesota fee tasked with redesigning the state’s flag and seal introduced its choice for the up to date state flag on Dec. 19. 

The State Emblems Redesign Commission voted 11-1 to approve the brand new design. It options an eight-pointed star towards a navy blue background formed to resemble Minnesota — subsequent to a strong light-blue subject, which represents the state’s waters, in response to the fee. 

The design was a modification of submission F1935, one of many three finalists chosen by the fee.

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Andrew Prekker, 24, of Luverne, Minnesota, submitted design F1935. 

He described his design as one that includes a navy-colored “abstract shape of Minnesota,” with the white star representing the state’s motto, “L’Étoile du Nord” (“Star of the North”) in addition to “a symbol of unity above a land of diversity.”

New minnesota flag that is dark blue and light blue

The brand new Minnesota flag design is proven right here. This flag will — pending legislative approval — start flying on Could 11, 2024, which is Statehood Day. (State of Minnesota)

Prekker’s authentic design had featured three coloration stripes (white, inexperienced and light-weight blue); these had been nixed in favor of a strong blue subject.

The three colours within the authentic design had been chosen as a result of “the white stripe symbolizes snow; the green stripe represents the beauty of our nature and also the important role agriculture has played in our history; and the light blue stripe represents the significance of water to our state, each as the land of 10,000 lakes, the birth state of the Mississippi River, and the origins of Minnesota’s name,” mentioned Prekker. 

Minnesota’s title is derived from a Sioux phrase that means “sky-tinted water,” says the web site for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 

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“Overall, I wanted the design to be very simple while also symbolizing the various important aspects of our history, cultures and people,” Prekker added. 

The announcement of the brand new flag design comes a couple of month and a half after the greater than 2,000 design submissions had been unveiled to the general public on Oct. 30. 

These designs, which had been a mixture of humorous and critical submissions, drew inspiration from a wide range of Minnesota cultural icons. 

The two,000 or so design submissions had been whittled down to 6 finalists on Nov. 21 — and the six had been narrowed to 3 on Dec. 12. 

On Dec. 15, it was introduced that the brand new design can be a variation of submission F1935, says the State Emblems Redesign Fee’s web site. 

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The flag and seal designs now head to the Minnesota legislature. If the designs are authorised by the state’s lawmakers, the brand new flag will start flying on Could 11, 2024, Minnesota’s Statehood Day.

Issues cited with present flag

The unique Minnesota flag was the state’s seal on a blue subject. It was first adopted in 1893. 

“The seal depicts a Native American riding off into the sunset while a White settler plows his field with his rifle leaning on a nearby stump,” mentioned the Related Press in September. 

Minnesota flag

Minnesota’s present state flag was adopted in 1893. Each Indigenous tribes and flag lovers criticized the imagery of the prevailing flag.  (State of Minnesota )

“The imagery suggests to many that the Indigenous people were defeated and going away, while Whites won and were staying,” famous the AP. 

Along with disapproval from the state’s quite a few Indigenous tribes, Minnesota’s present flag has drawn the ire of flag lovers for years.

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In a viral April 2023 video rating every state’s flags, YouTuber CGP Gray referred to as Minnesota’s present flag “terrible,” and the “worst in the union,” saying that the “busyness is bottom-tier bad.” 

flag options

Minnesota’s flag fee Chair Luis Fitch adjusts among the closing designs. The committee voted 11-1 to pick design A2 as the brand new state flag. (Glen Stubbe /Star Tribune through AP)

The members of the North American Vexilogical Affiliation (NAVA) — a bunch dedicated to the scientific and scholarly examine of flags — additionally weren’t keen on Minnesota’s present flag. 

In a 2001 survey, Minnesota ranked 67th of the 72 flags of North America’s states, provinces and territories. 

Solely South Dakota, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska and Georgia ranked decrease, and Georgia has since utterly redesigned its flag. 

The 5 rules of excellent flag design are “keep it simple,” “use meaningful symbolism,” “use 2-3 basic colors,” have “no lettering or seals,” and “be distinctive or be related,” in response to NAVA.

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The newly proposed flag seems to suit all of these rules. 

Dr. Anita Gaul, vice chair of the fee, mentioned the flag has “vaulted from an F to an A+” within the eyes of flag specialists.

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