Oklahoma State Flag

The Oklahoma state flag is the official civic flag of the state of Oklahoma. A sky blue field holds an Osage war shield at its center. The shield bears six crosses and seven pendant eagle feathers.

A peace pipe crosses with an olive branch atop the shield. Below appears the word Oklahoma in white capital letters. The flag's design honors Native American heritage and peaceful settlement.

Louise Funk Fluke won a design contest in 1924 sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The state legislature adopted her design on April 2, 1925. Colors and shapes were standardized by law on November 1, 2006.

The Oklahoma state flag meaning represents peace between Native Americans and European settlers. The design combines symbols from both cultures to show unity, echoing language on Oklahoma's state motto page.

The Osage shield stands for protection and defense. The peace pipe represents Native American traditions. The olive branch symbolizes peace among European settlers. Together they show different peoples united.

Oklahoma introduced its first state flag in 1911, four years after statehood. The design featured a red field with a white star bordered in blue. The number 46 appeared inside the star marking Oklahoma as the forty-sixth state. Ruth Dickinson Clement created this flag.

The Daughters of the American Revolution sponsored a contest in 1924 to replace the red flag. Red flags had become associated with communism. Louise Funk Fluke of Shawnee submitted the winning design. Her entry showed an Osage war shield with a peace pipe and olive branch on a blue field.

The legislature approved Fluke's design on April 2, 1925. The word Oklahoma was added in 1941. The official design remained unchanged for decades. Unauthorized versions appeared across the state showing incorrect shapes, colors, and proportions, even as the symbol remained central to the Sooner State identity.

A Boy Scout leader noticed the problem in 2005 while designing patches. Multiple incorrect versions appeared on government websites. He contacted his state representative. Senate Bill 1359 standardized the colors and shapes. Governor Brad Henry signed it into law on May 23, 2006. The standardization took effect November 1, 2006.

The Oklahoma state flag uses French blue, amber, white, flesh, gold brown, ruby red, and Dartmouth green. Oklahoma statute specifies Pantone values for each color, with broader comparison available in the U.S. state colors guide.

Louise Fluke chose the blue to match the Choctaw battle flag flown during the Civil War. The shield appears in amber. Feathers and pipe elements use flesh and gold brown. The pipe body is ruby red. The olive branch is Dartmouth green, and related natural symbolism appears on Oklahoma's state tree page.

For demographic and scale context, see U.S. states by population.