US State Flags with Latin Mottos

Virginia's state motto — 'Sic Semper Tyrannis' (Thus always to tyrants) — appears on the state flag immediately below the state seal, inscribed on a blue ribbon. The figure of Virtus, a female warrior, stands over a defeated tyrant who has dropped his crown and chain. The sword and spear in the scene make the motto's meaning explicit: tyranny ends here.

The motto was adopted in 1776, the same year as the Declaration of Independence, and was already old by the Civil War. Its modern notoriety comes from a darker association: John Wilkes Booth reportedly shouted 'Sic Semper Tyrannis' as he jumped from the presidential box at Ford's Theatre after shooting Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. Booth saw himself as a liberator; the motto had given him a ready-made line.

Virginia's flag has faced periodic redesign proposals — some citizens argue that a militia overthrowing a king sends an ambiguous message as a state symbol. As of 2026, the flag and motto remain unchanged from the original 1776 design.

Michigan's motto — 'Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice' — is 51 characters long, making it the longest motto on any US state flag. The English translation ('If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you') is an adaptation of the epitaph for architect Sir Christopher Wren in St. Paul's Cathedral, London ('Si monumentum requiris, circumspice'). Michigan substituted 'a pleasant peninsula' for 'a monument.'

The motto appears on the Michigan state seal, which is displayed in full on the blue flag. It runs along the inner ring of the circular seal and is technically readable only when the flag is viewed close up — from standard flag distance, the text disappears into the seal's detail.

Connecticut: 'Qui Transtulit Sustinet' (He who transplanted still sustains) appears on the ribbon below the shield with three grapevines. The motto dates to the 1662 royal charter, making it one of the oldest state mottos in continuous use. It refers to settlers transplanted from the Old World who still flourish.

Maine: 'Dirigo' (I lead) is the shortest Latin motto on any US state flag — a single word. It appears above the pine tree and moose in the coat of arms. The North Star, which mariners used for direction, inspired the one-word choice. Dirigo became Maine's motto when the state was established in 1820.

Massachusetts: 'Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem' is the second-longest state motto (51 characters, matching Michigan's) and one of the most specific — a quotation from the Roman poet Algernon Sidney, adopted in 1775. It means 'By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.'

Missouri: 'Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto' (The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law) is from Cicero's De Legibus. It appears on the state seal at the center of Missouri's tricolor flag, adopted 1822 — the year after statehood.

New York: 'Excelsior' (Ever upward) is the simplest Latin motto — one word, from a classical context meaning 'higher' or 'ever upward.' It appears on the banner below the coat of arms on New York's blue flag. Adopted 1778.

North Carolina: 'Esse Quam Videri' (To be rather than to seem) comes from Cicero's De Amicitia. It appears in the state seal shown on the flag, adopted 1893.

Idaho: 'Esto Perpetua' (Let it be perpetual) appears in the Idaho state seal on the flag. Attributed to the dying words of Fra Paolo Sarpi about the Republic of Venice. Adopted 1867.

Maryland's state motto is 'Fatti maschii, parole femine' — not Latin, but Old Italian or Medieval Catalan. The phrase translates loosely as 'Manly deeds, womanly words' or, in official usage, 'Strong deeds, gentle words.' It comes from the Calvert family motto and dates to the founding of the Maryland colony.

Maryland is the only US state with a motto in a language other than English, Latin, or another indigenous or European language standardly associated with US state symbols (Hawaiian, Spanish, Chinook Jargon). The motto appears on Maryland's state coat of arms — but not on the state flag itself.

Maryland's flag is unique: a quartered design using the Calvert family colors (yellow and black) and the Crossland family colors (red and white). No seal is shown on the flag, and no text appears on it at all. The Italian motto therefore does not appear on Maryland's displayed state flag — only on the coat of arms used in state documents.