Flag of Missouri facts for kids
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| Use | Civil and state flag  |
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| Proportion | 7:12 |
| Adopted | March 22, 1913 |
| Design | Three horizontal tricolour of red, white, and blue with the arms of Missouri (bordered by a wide band of blue with 24 white stars) centered on the three bands. |
| Designed by | Marie Elizabeth Oliver |
The flag of Missouri is the official flag of the U.S. state of Missouri. It has three equal stripes of red, white, and blue going across. In the middle, you'll see the official symbol of Missouri.
Marie Elizabeth Oliver designed the flag. The red stripe stands for bravery, and the white stripe means purity. The blue stripe represents how strong, watchful, and fair the state is. These three colors also show the strong French history in Missouri. The Missouri flag became official on March 22, 1913. This happened when Governor Elliot Woolfolk Major signed the State Flag Act.
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History of the Missouri Flag
The Missouri state flag was designed and sewn in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The designer was Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver, who was born on January 11, 1854, and passed away on October 18, 1944. She was the wife of former State Senator R.B. Oliver.
Designing the Flag
Marie Oliver started working on the flag in 1908. She was a volunteer with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The DAR asked her to lead a committee to research and design Missouri's flag. Marie Oliver studied many other state flags. She wrote to the secretary of state in each U.S. state. She asked how their flags were designed and made official.
Her first design included Missouri's coat of arms. Her friend, Mary Kochitzky, painted this design on paper.
Making the Flag Official
The paper flag was brought to the Missouri State Capitol in 1908. Marie Oliver's nephew, Senator Arthur L. Oliver, tried to pass laws to make it the official flag. He introduced bills in 1909 and 1911. However, both bills failed to pass in the House of Representatives.
Another flag design, called the "Holcomb flag," was also suggested. But people didn't like it because it looked too much like the Flag of the United States. It also didn't have enough symbols for Missouri.
Marie Oliver's first paper flag was lost when the Missouri State Capitol building burned down in 1911. After that, Marie Oliver and Mrs. S.D. MacFarland sewed a second flag. This one was made of silk. Marie Oliver's design was finally approved on March 22, 1913. Governor Elliot Woolfolk Major signed the Oliver Flag Bill, making it the official state flag. The flag's design has not changed since then.
Restoring the Flag
Marie Oliver kept the silk flag until 1961. Her son, Allen, then gave it to the State of Missouri. The flag was put on display, but it started to wear out. So, it was put away in storage.
In 1988, Secretary of State Roy D. Blunt asked elementary school students to help. He challenged them to raise money to fix the old flag. The students did a great job, and the flag was restored. Since then, the restored flag has been shown at the James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center in Jefferson City.
The Oliver-Leming House is also known as the Home of the Missouri State Flag. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
What the Flag Means
The Missouri flag is a tricolor flag. This means it has three horizontal stripes: red, white, and blue.
Colors and Their Meanings
- Red stands for bravery and courage.
- White means purity and honesty.
- Blue represents being watchful, fair, and strong.
These colors also show that Missouri was once part of French Louisiana (New France).
The Seal of Missouri
In the middle of the white stripe is the Seal of Missouri. This seal is surrounded by a blue circle with 24 white stars. These stars show that Missouri was the 24th U.S. state to join the United States.
The Great Seal of the State of Missouri is very important. A lawyer, state legislator, and judge named Robert Wells designed it.
- The seal shows a helmet and a buckled belt. This means Missouri is a strong state that wants to solve its own problems.
- The two grizzly bears show the state's size and strength. They also show the courage of its people.
- The new crescent moon reminds us that we can always make our future better. It also shows that Missouri was the second state formed from the Louisiana Purchase.
- A larger star is rising into a group of 23 stars. This reminds people that Missouri became the 24th state after facing many challenges.
- The helmet shows the power of the people in the state.
There are also two important sayings, called mottoes, on the seal:
- "United We Stand, Divided We Fall" means it's important to support the whole United States.
- "Salus populi suprema lex esto" is a Latin phrase. It means, "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law." This reminds us that our state government works to make our lives better.
See also
In Spanish: Bandera de Misuri para niños
