A red field bearing a white diamond outlined in blue with 25 white stars and the word usa-state/arkansas/" data-it-autolink="1">ARKANSAS.
The design
The Flag of Arkansas is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 2:3, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses red, white, blue, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Red | red | Often signifies courage, sacrifice, revolution or the blood of those who fought for the nation. |
| White | white | Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes. |
| Blue | blue | Frequently symbolises sky, sea, freedom, vigilance or perseverance. |
| Source | Official flag law | The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions. |
Symbolism & heraldry
The diamond represents Arkansas as the only diamond-producing US state. The 25 surrounding stars mark Arkansas as the 25th state. Three stars below the name commemorate Spain, France, and the United States — the three nations that have governed the territory.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Arkansas — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.
Adoption & history
The current flag was adopted in 1913. It is credited to Willie Kavanaugh Hocker. Earlier banners flown by Flag of Arkansas reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.
Etiquette & protocol
The Flag of Arkansas should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.
Specifications
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Flag of Arkansas | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1913 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 2:3 | height : length |
| Colours | red, white, blue | — |
| Designer | Willie Kavanaugh Hocker | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
Designed for a 1913 contest, Hocker's entry beat 64 other submissions — though her original had only three stars; a fourth was added later.
