Flag of Illinois
 | |
| Use | Civil and state flag |
|---|---|
| Adopted | June 27, 1969 |
| Design | Seal of Illinois on a white field |
| Designed by | Sharon Tyndale |
The Flag of the State of Illinois consists of the Great Seal of Illinois on a white background, with the word "Illinois" underneath the seal.
Design
The current flag depicts the Great Seal of Illinois, which was originally designed in 1819 and emulated the Great Seal of the United States. In the eagle's beak there is a banner with the state motto, "State Sovereignty, National Union." The dates on the seal, 1818 and 1868 represent the year Illinois became a state and the year in which the Great Seal was redesigned by Sharon Tyndale. Although "State Sovereignty" comes first in the motto, Illinois was victorious in the American Civil War on the Union side, fighting against state sovereignty, so Tyndale placed "State" at the bottom and "Sovereignty" upside-down.[1]
History
Initial adoption, 1915
During her time as state regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1912, Ella Park Lawrence began a campaign to have Illinois adopt a state flag.[2] She was unsuccessful during her time as state regent, but continued to lobby members of the Illinois General Assembly to adopt a state flag as a member of the Rockford chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.[3] On April 1, 1914, Lawrence sent a letter to every Illinois chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution announcing a contest to design an Illinois state flag, with the winner receiving a prize of $25.[4] Thirty-five designs were submitted in response to this contest.[5]
The contest was judged by a panel chaired by Lewis Stevenson, Illinois Secretary of State. They selected the design of Lucy Derwent.[6] The flag became the official state banner on July 6, 1915 following its passage in the Illinois State House and Senate.[7] Governor Edward F. Dunne did not sign the bill, but he did not veto it.[8]
1969 alterations
In the 1960s, Chief Petty Officer Bruce McDaniel petitioned to have the name of the state added to the flag. He noted that many of the people he served with during the Vietnam War did not recognize the banner. Governor Richard B. Ogilvie signed the addition to the flag into law on September 17, 1969 and the new flag was designed by Mrs. Sanford Hutchinson and became the official flag on July 1, 1970.[9]
Illinois Centennial design
For Illinois' first 100 years of statehood in 1918, Wallace Rice, who designed Chicago's flag, designed a centennial flag for the state. It had three horizontal bands of equal width alternating white, blue, white. It was charged with 21 stars along the edge of the hoist. There were 10 blue stars in the upper white band and 10 in the lower white band, representing the 10 northern and 10 southern states at the time of Illinois' statehood in 1818. The center blue band had one large, white star for the State of Illinois itself.[10]
See also
References
- ^ Seal of the State of Illinois
- ^ Barbara Schock, "Ella Park Lawrence, Mother of the Illinois State Flag," Presented to the Galesburg Woman's Club May 12,2007.
- ^ Barbara Schock, "Ella Park Lawrence, Mother of the Illinois State Flag," Presented to the Galesburg Woman's Club May 12,2007.
- ^ Barbara Schock, "Ella Park Lawrence, Mother of the Illinois State Flag," Presented to the Galesburg Woman's Club May 12,2007.
- ^ Barbara Schock, "Ella Park Lawrence, Mother of the Illinois State Flag," Presented to the Galesburg Woman's Club May 12,2007.
- ^ Barbara Schock, "Ella Park Lawrence, Mother of the Illinois State Flag," Presented to the Galesburg Woman's Club May 12,2007.
- ^ Barbara Schock, "Ella Park Lawrence, Mother of the Illinois State Flag," Presented to the Galesburg Woman's Club May 12,2007.
- ^ Office of the Illinois Secretary of State (2007-03-31). "Illinois Handbook of Government: 2007-2008" (PDF). p. 135. Secretary of State of Illinois. Retrieved 2007-09-14.
- ^ Illinois.gov - Illinois Facts - Official State Flag]
- ^ Illinois Anniversary Flags
