My take on what the flags should be for each of the United States and U.S. territories, as well as for the country.
Click the name of the state/territory to see its current flag.
The current design is rather busy (especially the blue field of stars), and it has a unique problem of requiring an update every time a new state is added. The designs below mitigate these problems while keeping recognition.
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| Substantial edits |
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| Current design |
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| Current design |
The design below reflects the original design proposed by
Willie K. Hocker in 1912, before the request of the flag committee of the Pine Bluff Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to add the word "Arkansas". It also does not include the
later-added fourth star added by the state legislature in 1924 to represent the Confederate States, and it preserves the deep
symbolism of the original three stars.
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| Historical design, 1912 |
The design below simply removes the wording from the current design and repositions the bear to fill the created blank space.
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| Minor edits |
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| Current design |
As stated by the original creator of the design below, "the green stripe represents our abundant forests and nature, the five stars within representing Connecticut being the fifth state of the union. The blue stripe represents our rivers and Long Island Sound. The white stripe, yellow pin stripes, and grapes together are evocative of our coat of arms on the current flag. Individually, the white stripe represents purity, the yellow stripes our joy and marshes, and the grape bunches the original three settlements of our state."
The design below retains the unique buff-and-colonial-blue color palette of the current design. The wording is removed, and the coat of arms is replaced by a white star, which symbolizes Delaware being the first state to
ratify the Constitution of the United States.
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| Substantial edits |
The current design is
based on the First National Flag of the Confederacy, also known as the "
Stars and Bars". As stated by the original creator of the design below, "the arch symbolizes the state's constitution and the pillars represent the three branches of government: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. The pillars embody the words of the state motto,
Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation, dating back to the American Revolution. The red & white stripes, and the blue field with the 13 stars allude to the stars & stripes of the
USA flag. The state of Georgia was one of the original 13 colonies (states) of the United States of America."
The design below, known as
Kānaka Maoli flag ('true people' in the Hawaiian language), is purported by some to be the original flag of the
Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, though this claim is unverified and widely disputed. It was introduced to the public by Gene Simeona in 2001. It has nine alternating stripes of green, red, and yellow defaced with a green shield with a puela (strip of kapa bark cloth insignia flown atop the double hulled canoe of the chief) crossed by two paddles. Despite the lack of verification about its historic use, the design has gained popularity among people who prefer its lack of apparent colonial imagery.
As stated by the original creator of the design below, the colors bear the following symbolism: white for the
state flower and the snowy mountains of the state, red to reference the
flag of the Nez Percé tribe, blue for the rivers and waterways of the state and the
state bird, and gold for the sun and richness of the land. The white chevron represents the
Rocky Mountain range, and yellow lozenge represents the
state nickname of
The Gem State and the resources of the state, including
potatoes.
For Illinois's first 100 years of statehood in 1918,
Wallace Rice (who designed the
flag of Chicago) designed a centennial flag for the state. The 10 blue stars in each of the upper and lower white band represent the 10 northern and 10 southern states at the time of Illinois' statehood in 1818. The large, white star presents the state of Illinois itself.
The design below reflects the original design proposed by Paul Hadley in 1917, before the Indiana General Assembly added the word "Indiana".
As stated by the original creator of the design below, "the flag is based off of the current flag for Iowa, which has the same eagle placed on a
French flag which seems neither especially Iowan nor American. This flag uses a layout of gold and light blue instead, representing the golden prosperous fields and clear blue skies of the state. The light blue is exactly opposite on the color cube to the brown used in the eagle, representing the growing diversity of the state. The eagle continues to be a representation of the greater whole of the nation and its ideals."
As stated by the original creator of the design below, it is "more akin to a redesign of the old
state banner.... The star in the center of the sunflower serves as a reference to the state motto of
Ad astra per aspera:
To the stars through difficulties."
As stated by the original creator of the design below, the colors bear the following symbolism: white for the mountains to the east of the state, blue for the state's rivers and waterways and to reference the state nickname of
The Bluegrass State, and gold for "the wealth the land provides and the bright future of the state", as well as the
state flower. The white circle represents the sun and the importance of agriculture to the state, and the white and blue stripes represent the
Ohio and
Mississippi Rivers, as well as
Lake Barkley and
Kentucky Lake. The horse design symbolizes "the horse racing and rearing culture in Kentucky, the Kentucky Derby. The horse is an icon of the state." The golden crescent represents "the bountiful fertility of the state", as well as its general shape.
In November of 2026, the state is planning to hold a referendum on whether to restore the design below or keep the current one.
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| Current design |
A statement by the original creator of the design below: "I wanted the redesign to have similarities to the current design. Like being mostly white and also using blue and gold. Then I looked at the historical flags of the state, and found that the pine tree is a symbol heavily associated with the area, so I wanted to use that as well."
A statement by the original creator of the design below: "I draw inspiration from the geography of the state. Michigan is unique in that it consists of two separate landmasses, separated and defined by the Great Lakes. So I started with a Reflex Blue stripe across the middle of the flag, representing the Strait of Mackinac that cuts the state in half, as well as the Great Lakes as a whole. The top and bottom stripes of the flag represent the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, respectively. They also represent the white winters and green summers of the state. Michigan has a complex coat of arms that includes a deer, a bear, an eagle, a man with a rifle waving while standing on a beach, and two Latin inscriptions. Rather than put the whole coat of arms on the flag, I’m drawing out one element: the deer. Deer are very common in Michigan, so it’s a great symbol to represent the state."
Designated F1953, the design below was submitted to the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission.
On December 15, 2023 the committee decided that the final flag would be a variant of F1953, removing the stripes and altering the star's shape.
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| Proposed design by Andrew Prekker in 2023 |
The design below has one fewer stars (20) than the current design (21). This is because the topmost, gold star (composed of a pattern of five diamonds, an Indigenous symbol) represents Mississippi, and the 19 white stars represent the other states at the time of admission into the Union. The design below also removes the wording from the current design.
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| Minor edits |
As stated by the original creator of the design below, the colors represent valor (red), purity (white) and justice (blue). They also tie into the
French heritage of the state as part of the
Louisiana Purchase. "The thin white line is symbolic of both the
Missouri River and the vast cultural differences between northern
Midwestern Missouri and the southern
Ozarks region. Twenty-four stars denot[e] Missouri as the 24th state in the Union, same as the original flag. Crescent moon and grizzly bear from original flag have been kept, with the bear representing Missouri's size and its people's strength and courage, and the moon symbolizing the potential to create a better future."
As stated by the original creator of the design below, "the mountains represent the state's numerous mountain ranges and peaks, including the
Rocky Mountains. The state's name 'Montana' also translates to 'mountain' or 'mountainous'. The 7-star arch represents the seven Native American reservations in Montana:
Crow,
Northern Cheyenne,
Fort Peck,
Fort Belknap,
Rocky Boy's [sic],
Blackfeet, and
Flathead. The lone central star defines Montana's loyalty to the Union." Blue represents the state nickname of
Big Sky Country,
and gold and silver represent its nickname of
The Treasure State and the state motto of
Oro y plata: Gold and silver.
As stated by the original creator of the design below, "the two blue lines meeting to form one represent the
North and South Platte Rivers meeting in the state's territory. Gold symbolizes wealth, agriculture and the Great Plains. White represents purity and hope. The star symbolizes the state of Nebraska."
The design below won flag redesign contests in both the Utne Reader and the Nevada Magazine.
The design below is based on the laurel wreath from the current design.
As stated by Andrew Maris, the original creator of the proposed design, "the flag is inspired by the Jersey Blues Revolutionary War uniform. The militia wore a blue coat over a red waistcoat, often accompanied by a white sash. Three colors and star represent the third state to join the union and the first to ratify the Bill of Rights." As stated by Nick Hawke, who created the variant shown below, "this flag uses the graphic story of the NJ militia uniform in Andrew's original design and replaces with red and blue with the
traditional blue and buff New Jersey colors."
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| Current design |
As stated by the original creator of the design below, it "incorporates significant elements of New York's rich past and always rising future. This includes an imperial design to represent the Empire State, references to
Dutch and British colonial history acknowledging our roots, and the incorporation of the
White Rose of New York [sic] as a symbol of purity and light. The design also features a sunrise over water motif borrowed from the current state flag and seal. This doubles as a visual representation of our state motto of
Excelsior, signifying 'ever upward'. Lastly, the rays in the redesign serve as an ambiguous reference to the Statue of Liberty. This redesigned flag will better encapsulate what New York stands for today while honoring its past."
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As stated by the original creator of the design below, it is "based on the coat of arms of the state. Colors symbolizing agriculture. Three stars for the trinity of government, the history of the territory under three foreign flags, and for the coat of arms of prominent early settlers. Fleur-de-lis for both the territory’s history as a part of the Louisiana territory and for the first European settler, who was French-Canadian."
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| Current design |
The design below modifies the current design, removing lettering and simplifying the
Osage war shield.
In anticipation of the Oregon Sesquicentennial in 2009,
The Oregonian organized a statewide contest in 2008 to
redesign the state flag. The newspaper collected and published the entries with the public voting on the winning design. The winning design below was created by Randall Gray, who emphasized the beaver found on the
current reverse design. The star represents Oregon's place in the Union while the green represents the natural wilderness and forests of Oregon.
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| Proposed design |
Designed by Tara Stark in 2017 and called the "Keystone Flag", the design below incorporates the keystone (a symbol already used in official capacities by the
Pennsylvania National Guard and departments within the government of Pennsylvania) into a tricolor design using the colors on the
coat of arms of Pennsylvania as an intentional callback to the symbolism of the current design. This designed gained popularity in online vexillological circles, winning multiple online contests.
The design below simply removes the wording from the current design and repositions the anchor to fill the created blank space.
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Minor edits
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| Current design |
As stated by the original creator of the design below, it "simplifies the current design by incorporating a Dakota star and tweaking the colors slightly. The white circle represents a sun dog, which can be seen on cold winter days."
There is
no direct evidence that the current design was intentionally designed with any reference to the flags of the Confederacy.
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| Current design |
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| Current design |
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| Current design |
Formed in 1770, the Vermont militia -- known as the
Green Mountain Boys -- purportedly used the design below as a regimental flag, but the specifics of the design are
unknown.
The design below visualizes the state motto of Sic semper tyrannis: Thus always to tyrants.
As stated by the original creator of the design below, it "uses blue, white, and green, the colors of the Pacific Northwest, and a stylized rendition of George Washington's coat of arms, as he is the State's namesake. The triangular formation of the stars represents the Cascades, a prominent feature in Washington's geography. The blue stripe represents the Columbia River, the longest river in Washington.... Us[es] the shades of green and blue from the current flag of Washington."
The need for an official state flag arose in 1904 when the West Virginia State Commission to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis reported that the state required a flag or ensign to represent and distinguish itself among the other U.S. states at the exposition. In lieu of an official state flag, the commission adopted and used the design below, which features a sprig of
Rhododendron maximum (the
state flower) on a white field. In its report to the West Virginia Legislature, the West Virginia State Commission recommended the adoption of their flag design as the official state flag. It was modified and adopted for use between 1905 and 1907.
As stated by the original creator of the design below, the colors bear the following symbolism: blue for hope, freedom, and the
Great Lakes; gold for
cheese, corn, wealth, and the sun; and white for cleanliness. The w-shape symbolizes the state motto of
Forward, and the white star symbolizes statehood and the future of Wisconsin.
The design below removes the state seal from the current design.
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| Substantial edits |
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| Current flag |
The design below replaces the intricate eagle design with a simplified staff and war club from the current design.
As stated by the original creator of the design below, it "[keeps] the blue of the ocean and sky from the current flag, [and] the yellow sand color is incorporated into a diamond shape that is an abstract version of the canoe. The palm tree has been increased in size to make it more prominent and the original background has been simplified to create a cleaner look."
The design below was the unofficial design from 1972-1976, and the official design from 1976-1981. It includes a white star representing the United States and a gray
latte stone representing the
Chamorro people. Its dark blue background represents the
Pacific Ocean and the
Mariana Trench.
The design below has become increasingly popular in recent years. Today, most representations of the flag feature a light sky blue color shade, matching the light blue color shade of one of only two original renditions of the first revolutionary flag of Puerto Rico, the
Grito de Lares flag.
The design below retains the gold color from the current design and incorporates the letters V and I (for "Virgin Islands") into a single glyph, while removing the
coat of arms of the United States.
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