Why does the new Minnesota state flag look like that?
MINNEAPOLIS — The new Minnesota state flag will officially be raised across the state on Saturday. So, what does the flag look like and what's the meaning behind its design?
Interestingly enough, the person behind the flag design — Luverne native Andrew Prekker — doesn't have a design background. What he did do: A lot of research on the study of flags, what people wanted on the new flag and Minnesota history and culture.
His original design featured a North Star inside an abstract shape of Minnesota and stripes of blue, white and green.
The original design was then modified by the State Emblems Redesign Commission, taking out the three stripes of colors and opting for all blue in that area. That modification was selected as the official design of the new Minnesota state flag.
The star is a nod to the state's motto "The Star of the North," with the blue symbolizing Minnesota's vast and distinct waterways.
"For me, it's an important change that is necessary to be inclusive to all people in Minnesota, especially our Indigenous communities and tribal nations," Prekker said.
Luis Fitch, who was part of the redesign commission, gave a passionate speech describing why he supported the final design, which other members said resonated with them. He said the paler shade of blue resembled the Mississippi River pointing to the North Star and is a metaphor for what drew people to the state in the first place.
"You go back in history, White people from Europe came here because of the Mississippi River. If we go back to history, I'm assuming because I'm not a historian, American Indians chose this land [in] part because of the Mississippi. So the way I'm looking at it right now, why do I see the Mississippi River pointing up to the North Star? And that's it. For me, that's the story," Fitch said.
Flag expert Ted Kaye, secretary of the North American Vexillological Association, told WCCO in December he gives the final design an A+.
Saturday is a fitting time for the flag to make its debut, as it is Minnesota Statehood Day.