The last change made to the Wisconsin state flag was in 1979. It is pretty standard as far as state flags go, a solid background with the state’s seal. But in recent years, residents across all 50 states have started to stir an interesting conversation: Are the plain state seal flags too boring?
Since the beginning of the decade, five states have made major changes to their flags, including Utah, Nevada, Mississippi and Georgia. What really sparked conversation in Wisconsin is that just this year, Minnesota became the first Midwest state to follow the trend of changing their state flag.
Shortly after the rising of the new Minnesota flag, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel conducted a poll that found that around 45% of responders believe that the flag should undergo a redesign.
Although this does not cover all Wisconsinites, we can look at the successes of the People’s Flag of Milwaukee, the unofficial gold, white and blue flag depicting a sunset over Lake Michigan and Milwaukee’s three rivers.
The flag’s popularity has almost completely overshadowed the official flag of Milwaukee, which features Milwaukee in large red text and a depiction of the city’s riverfront. The official flag has been in place since 1954, but since the rise in popularity of the people’s flag, efforts are still ongoing for the city to officially adopt it.
Ideally, the purpose behind these unique redesigns is to generate a greater sense of pride and community in one’s state, as explained in a publication from the Utah Office of the Governor concerning their state’s new flag.
Aside from simply taking notice of the rising trend of states adopting unique flags, the North American Vexillological Association, vexillology being the study of flags, has been criticizing the standard state seal flags for decades.
In fact, in their 2006 publication “Good Flag, Bad Flag: How to Design a Great Flag,” they highlighted 5 principles of designing the perfect flag, their fourth principle was to not include any lettering or seals. They believe that if you need to use lettering or seals, you have failed to communicate the place you are representing with just the colors and symbols of your flag.
The state of Wisconsin has not made any efforts to explore possibilities of a redesign, however its southern neighbor, Illinois, began to take action even before the adoption of the new Minnesota flag. In August 2023, governor of Illinois JB Pritzker signed a bill to create a committee that would explore the possibility of a new state flag design. Just last month, the committee finished compiling 10 variations of new designs and will submit a report to the Illinois General Assembly by December.
The state of Wisconsin should follow suit in creating a committee to explore other possible flag designs.
Many ideas for colors and symbols have already been floated around by flag enthusiasts, such as yellow to represent the state’s agriculture and dairy industries and blue to represent the value of loyalty and the connection to the state’s lakes and rivers.
A badger has been suggested as a symbol, obviously since Wisconsin has been christened “The Badger State,” however a beaver may be a more creative option considering it was beaver pelts that first drew French fur traders to the region. Other possible designs could include a medicine wheel, to symbolize the Native American heritage in the state.
Wisconsinites deserve a unique flag that represents its rich history and diversity in its people and landscapes. We can hope that in the next few years its government takes notice and explores possibilities of a flying a more creative flag to unite Wisconsin’s people under.
This story was written by John O’Shea. He can be reached at [email protected].
