Three horizontal stripes (red, white, blue) with the state seal in the centre encircled by 24 stars.
The design
The Flag of usa-state/missouri/" data-it-autolink="1">Missouri is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 7:12, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses red, white, blue, gold, 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. |
| Gold | gold | Stands in for sunlight, mineral wealth or sovereign authority. |
Symbolism & heraldry
The stripes reference the French tricolour, recalling Missouri's origins as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The 24 stars mark Missouri as the 24th state. The seal shows two grizzly bears flanking a shield with two halves: the federal coat of arms and the state's symbols.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Missouri — 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 Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver. Earlier banners flown by Flag of Missouri 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 Missouri 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 Missouri | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1913 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 7:12 | height : length |
| Colours | red, white, blue, gold | — |
| Designer | Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
Designed by Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver — sometimes called the "Betsy Ross of Missouri" — the original 1913 flag was lost in a fire at the State Capitol; the design endured.
