Minnesota State Flag

The Minnesota state flag is the official government flag of Minnesota. A dark blue field covers most of the background. A light blue chevron extends from the left side forming the shape of Minnesota.

An eight-pointed white star sits on the dark blue portion. The star represents Minnesota as the North Star State. Public buildings, schools, and government offices across Minnesota fly the flag, matching language from the Minnesota state motto.

The flag represents Minnesota's identity as the North Star State through its central star symbol. The eight-pointed star refers to both the North Star and Minnesota's role as a northern state. The design emphasizes Minnesota's position and natural landscape, reinforcing The North Star State nickname.

The light blue chevron forms the shape of Minnesota's borders. This element represents the state's geography and connects the design directly to Minnesota's physical territory. The chevron also symbolizes Minnesota's waters, including its thousands of lakes and the Mississippi River.

Dark blue represents the night sky. Light blue symbolizes water and snow. White reflects purity and clarity. Together, these colors capture Minnesota's northern climate and natural environment.

Minnesota authorized its new state flag in 2024. The legislature created a State Emblems Redesign Commission in 2023 to develop a new flag. The commission reviewed thousands of public submissions and selected a final design. The new flag officially replaced the previous version on May 11, 2024, and aligned with Minnesota's broader state color framework.

The redesign occurred because the old flag faced criticism for its imagery. The previous design showed a Native American riding away while a white settler plowed a field. Critics argued this depicted displacement and colonization. The state motto on the old flag, L'Étoile du Nord, appeared in French but excluded other languages spoken in Minnesota.

The commission emphasized creating an inclusive design. The winning submission came from Andrew Prekker, a design professional. His design focused on Minnesota's geographic shape and North Star symbolism. The legislature approved the new flag with broad support.

The flag uses dark blue, light blue, and white. Dark blue represents the night sky. Light blue symbolizes water and snow. White shows in the North Star and represents purity and clarity.