Minnesota Selects New State Flag

Minnesota has chosen a new state flag, designed by 24-year-old artist Andrew Prekker, featuring a blue swallowtail shape and a North Star, a reference to the state’s French-language motto, 'L’Étoile du Nord.'
The new flag replaces the old one, which depicted a farmer and Indigenous man on horseback, a scene criticized as racist.
The flag selection process involved more than 2,000 submissions and public comments, and the final design was chosen by the State Emblems Redesign Commission.
The new flag and seal will automatically become official on April 1, 2024, unless the Legislature rejects them.
Some controversy surrounds the new design, with Republican nonvoting members of the commission planning to submit a minority report to the Legislature, arguing that the process was rushed and that Minnesotans should vote on both the flag and seal.