| Use | Civil and state flag |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 7:12 |
| Adopted | September 4, 1913 |
| Design | Three horizontal stripes of red, white and blue. The Missouri Seal, surrounded by a blue band and stars, is superimposed in the field center. |
| Designed by | Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver |
The Flag of the State of Missouri was designed and stitched in Jackson, Missouri, by Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver (1885–1959), the wife of former State Senator R.B. Oliver. Her design was adopted in 1913 and remains unchanged to this day.
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of red, white and blue. These represent valor, purity, vigilance, and justice. The colors also reflect the state's historic status as part of the French Louisiana (New France). In the center white stripe is the Seal of Missouri, circled by a blue band containing 24 stars, symbolizing Missouri's admission as the 24th U.S. state.[1]
The flag is described in Section 010.020 of Missouri's Revised Statutes.
In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 US State, US Territory and Canadian province flags. The Missouri flag ranked in the bottom 25, 48th out of the 72.[2]
Adopted Flag on March 22, 1913
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