The state of Minnesota has chosen a new flag, submitted by 24-year-old Luverne artist Andrew Prekker for a public contest that saw hundreds of Minnesotans try out vexillology. Questions about the colonial image of the previous state flaginitially presented in 1893, it spurred the search for a new design.
Prekker, following the news that his design had been chosen, said in a statement that it is his “greatest hope that this new flag can finally represent our State and all its people in an adequate way. May all Minnesotans of all backgrounds, including indigenous communities and tribal nations who have historically been excluded, be able to look at our flag with pride and honor and see themselves within it.”
Although the final flag was altered slightly from Prekker’s initial design, it retains the light blue panel symbolizing the state’s lakes, the notched navy blue panel representing the shores of Lake Superior, and the eight-pointed North Star.
“Minnesotans have much to be proud of, from the beauty of our land, to our rivers and lakes, to our recognition as the North Star State, all of which are reflected in this flag,” said Secretary of State Steve Simon of Minnesota and a member of the State Emblem Redesign Commission that chose Prekker’s design, said in a statement. “I hope Minnesotans will find common ground in this flag and join it for generations to come.”
Some Minnesotans fought against the adoption of an abstract, modern flag, citing concerns about lost heritage and the erasure of farmers. from the central design. The image at the center of the 1893 design, depicting a pioneer with a rifle, a farmer and a Native American on horseback with a spear, has been commonly accused of glorifying the state’s role in westward expansion and the politics of “manifest destiny.” a doctrine that justified the genocide and the erasure of indigenous populations in the American West. A Minnesota state representative, Mike Freiburg, described the old flag as a “messy genocidal mess.”
New Minnesota State Seal Courtesy of Minnesota State Government
In addition to replacing the state flag, the State Emblem Redesign Commission also selected a replacement for the state seal, opting for a similarly organized symbol. which replaces the pioneer, farmer and Native American with a single loon, the state bird.
Prior to the announcement of the new flag, Minnesotans engaged in popular debate over the hundreds of proposed designs, developing fierce attachments to favorite proposals. Cult hits were as diverse as a photo of a Minnesota dog in a field, laser-eyed lumbo drawings and a stain of low effort and cutting-edge images. Although online conversations bemoaned the abandonment of so many outstanding efforts of regional art, the new flag was received positively by most.
Proposed flags for the state of Minnesota that were not selected Courtesy of Minnesota State Government
