Flag of Arkansas

U.S. state flag

Arkansas

Other names| Arkansas flag, Diamond flag
Use| Civil and state flag
Proportion| 2∶3
Adopted| February 26, 1913; 112 years ago (1913-02-26)
(modifications in 1923, 1924, and 2011)
Design| A rectangular field of red, on which is placed a large white diamond, bordered by a wide band of blue. Across the diamond is the word 'Arkansas' in blue and four blue stars, one above, three below the word. On the blue band are placed 25 stars.
Designed by| Willie K. Hocker

The state flag of the U.S. state of Arkansas, also known as the Arkansas flag, is a red banner charged with a large blue-bordered white lozenge (diamond). Twenty-nine five-pointed stars appear on the flag: twenty-five small white stars within the blue border, and four larger blue stars in the white diamond. The state's name appears in blue within the white lozenge, with one star above and three stars below. The star above and the two outer stars below point upwards; the inner star below points downwards. The flag was designed by Willie K. Hocker of Wabbaseka, a member of the Pine Bluff Chapter of the Arkansas Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

## History

[edit]

The first mention of a state flag was in 1890. In Little Rock a local Temperance chapter was planing a large children's parade in the city. They ordered that the kids carried 2 flags, the American flag and a "...State Banner.."[1] The banner's design was not described and it is unknown when it was made.

In 1910, members of The Arkansas Federation of Women's Club came together to make a state flag for the National Convention of the American Federation of Women's Clubs, in Cincinnati. According to Stan Harley the flag was inspired by the regimental flags used during the Civil War, especially the 6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. The flag contain a thin white border that surrounded a blue field with the state seal in the center. It was made by Mrs. John Ike Moore. After the Convention was over they went to the Old State House and tried to present it but was unsuccessful.[2]

State flag proposed by The Arkansas Federation of Women's Club, 1910[2]

In 1912, the Pine Bluff Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution decided to present the newly commissioned battleship USS Arkansas with an official state flag. The chapter contacted Arkansas secretary of state Earle E. Hodges requesting information on how to obtain the state's flag. Hodges then informed the chapter that in fact no such state flag existed. With Hodge's support, the Pine Bluff Chapter began a statewide contest to design a new state flag.[3] A committee was appointed, and it asked for designs to be submitted for consideration, with 65 entries being submitted in total. Hocker's design was "a rectangular field of red, on which is placed a large white diamond, bordered by a wide band of blue. Across the diamond is the word 'ARKANSAS'," (placed there by request of the committee) "and the blue stars, one above, two below the word. On the blue band are placed 25 white stars."[4]

In 1923, the legislature added a fourth star, representing the Confederate States. This fourth star was originally placed so that there were two stars above the state name and two below; this was to include the Confederate States alongside France, Spain, and the United States. Since this disturbed the other two meanings of the original three stars, the legislature corrected this in 1924 by placing the fourth star above "ARKANSAS" and the original three stars below it, as it is today. The 1924 design was confirmed as law in 1987 by Act 116, signed by Governor Bill Clinton.[5]

In 2011, Act 1205 (formerly House Bill 1546) was signed by Governor Mike Beebe, adding some more details to the flag. In the terms of colors, the red and blue used on the flag of Arkansas are Old Glory Red and Old Glory Blue. The Act also stated that flags purchased by the secretary of state must be manufactured in the United States.[6][7]

In 2018, the original 1913 Arkansas state flag and a 1923 version both underwent an estimated $20,000 in restoration cost.[8]

|  |  |  |

|
|
|

Hocker flag proposal  | State flag (1913–1923)  | State flag (1923–1924)  | State flag (1924–2011)

## Design

[edit]

Presentation of the state flag, 1924 The Arkansas state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series.

The flag's elements have a complex symbolism. According to the 1987 state law defining the flag,[9] the diamond represents Arkansas' status as "the only diamond-bearing state in the Union". (Crater of Diamonds State Park was the only diamond mine in North America at the time, before more recent discoveries in Colorado and Montana. However, the state park is still the only place where the public can search for, and keep, diamonds.)

The 25 white stars around the border of the diamond represents Arkansas' position as the 25th state admitted to the Union.

The star above "ARKANSAS" represents the Confederacy, to which Arkansas was admitted on May 18, 1861.[10]

The three stars below "ARKANSAS" have three separate meanings:[10]

* The three other nations to which Arkansas has belonged (France, Spain, and the U.S.)
* The Louisiana Purchase, which brought Arkansas into the U.S., was signed in 1803.
* Arkansas was the third state (after Louisiana and Missouri) formed from the Louisiana Purchase.

The statute states that the two outer, upward-pointing stars of the three are considered "twin stars" representing the "twin states" of Arkansas and Michigan, which it claims were admitted together on June 15, 1836. However, that part of the statute contains two inaccuracies:

* The three stars were in a single row in Hocker's original design; they were not arranged in a triangle until later. Though one source indicates that the "twin states" symbolism was added by the 44th Arkansas General Assembly,[4] another states Hocker's "twin stars" are actually two of the 25 stars in the diamond, in the far left and right points;[10] the latter is more consistent with the original design, even though Michigan is actually the 26th state.
* While both states' acts of admission were signed by President Andrew Jackson on that day and Arkansas became a state immediately, Michigan was offered admission only on condition of ceding the Toledo Strip to Ohio in exchange for the Upper Peninsula. Once that happened, it was finally admitted on January 26, 1837.

In 2001, a survey conducted by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) placed the Arkansas state flag 45th in design quality out of the 72 Canadian provincial, U.S. state, and U.S. territory flags ranked.[11]

## Salute

[edit]

The law defining the flag also defines a text to be used in saluting the flag: "I salute the Arkansas Flag with its diamond and stars. We pledge our loyalty to thee."[12] The salute was written by author Virginia Belcher Brock.[13]

## Flag proposals

[edit]

The following are flag proposals from the 1912 flag contest.[14]

* Flag 1: Regnant Populus Eagle Flag

* Flag 2: State Seal Flag

* Flag 3: Simple Cross Flag

* Flag 4: Vox Populi Flag, Design 1

* Flag 5: Vox Populi Flag, Design 2

* Flag 6: Vox Populi Flag, Design 3

* Flag 7: Stars and Stripes Flag

* Flag 8: Diamond Rebel Flag

* Flag 9: Red and White "Ark" Flag

* Flag 10: Tree, Plow, Pickaxe, and Apple Flag

* Flag 11: Arkansas 26 Flag

* Flag 12: Blue Arkansas 26 Flag

* Flag 13: Arkansas Post Flag

* Flag 14: Red Star and Laurel Wreath Flag

* Flag 15: Apple Blossom and St. Andrew's Cross Flag

* Flag 16: State Seal, Pine Tree, Tools, and Bear Flag Design

* Flag 17: Black Bear Regnant Populus Flag

* Flag 18: Marte Nostro / Regnant Populus Eagle Flag

* Flag 19: Bear State Flag, Design 1

* Flag 20: Bear State Flag, Design 2

* Flag 21: Shield Eagle Flag

* Flag 22: Apple Blossom Flag

* Flag 23: Arkansaw Flag

* Flag 24: "I'll Try, Sir."

* Flag 25: White Star Flag

* Flag 26: Blue and White State Seal Flag

* Flag 27: Red, White and Blue State Seal Flag

* Flag 28: Red and Green White Stars Flag

* Flag 29: Eagle and Scenic Arkansas Flag

* Flag 30: John R. Fordyce, design 1

* Flag 31: John R. Fordyce, design 2

* Flag 32: John R. Fordyce, design 3

* Flag 33: John R. Fordyce, design 4

* Flag 34: Small Diamonds Flag - John R. Fordyce, design 5

* Flag 35: Cotton and Diamond Flag - John R. Fordyce, design 6

* Flag 36: Double Diamond Flag - John R. Fordyce, design 7

* Flag 37: Cotton Boll Flag - John R. Fordyce, design 8

* Flag 38: G.C. Timmerman 1913 Design

* Flag 39: Rays and Stars Flag

* Flag 40: Coat of Arms Flag

* Flag 41: Harvest Moon and Deep Waterway

* Flag 42: Progress Flag

* Flag 43: Red, White and Blue Eagle Flag

## See also

[edit]

* Arkansas portal
* Heraldry portal

* List of Arkansas state symbols
* List of flags by design
* List of U.S. state, district, and territorial insignia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Humanities, National Endowment for the (October 25, 1890). "Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, October 25, 1890, Image 5". Retrieved May 7, 2025.
2. ^ a b "The Arkansas Flag". arkansasroadstories.com. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
3. ^ "Arkansas Secretary of State". www.sos.arkansas.gov. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
4. ^ a b Ware, David (January 14, 2019). "Official State Flag". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
5. ^ "As Governor, Bill Clinton Kept 'Confederate' Star On The Arkansas Flag". The Huffington Post. June 22, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
6. ^ "Bill Information". Arkansas State Legislature - 88th General Assembly. 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
7. ^ Lyon, John (February 28, 2011). "Flag bill flies | Arkansas News". Arkansasnews.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
8. ^ "Arkansas' original state flag among 2 set for $20,000 makeover". Arkansas Online. November 13, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
9. ^ Ark. Code Ann. (1987), Section 1-4-101; cited in B.F. Shearer and B.S. Shearer (2002), State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols, Greenwood Press, p. 54
10. ^ a b c "The Story of the Arkansas Flag". www.sos.arkansas.gov. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
11. ^ "2001 State/Provincial Flag Survey - NAVA.org" (PDF). nava.org.
12. ^ "A.C.A. § 1-4-102". Retrieved November 26, 2019.
13. ^ "Salute to the State Flag". www.sos.arkansas.gov. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
14. ^ "Arkansas State Flag Competition entries". Arkansas State Archives. Archived from the original on March 2, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Shearer, Benjamin F.; Shearer, Barbara S. (1987). State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: a Historical Guide. Illustrated by Jerrie Yehling Smith. New York: Greenwood Press. pp. 66–67\. ISBN 0-313-24559-2. LCCN 86-27135. OCLC 779025878. OL 2732936M.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flag of Arkansas.

* Arkansas (U.S.) at Flags of the World
* Arkansas state flag protocol
* Whitney Smith, flag of Arkansas at the Encyclopædia Britannica

* v
* t
* e

Flags of the U.S. states and territories, federal district, other political divisions

* Flags of cities of the United States
* Flags of counties of the United States
* Timeline of U.S. state and territory flags

States|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Federal district|

Washington, D.C.

Territories|

* American Samoa
* Guam
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Puerto Rico
* U.S. Virgin Islands

Other|

* Associated states
* Federated States of Micronesia
* Marshall Islands
* Palau
* Tribal nations
* Cherokee Nation
* Hopi Nation
* Iroquois Confederacy
* Navajo Nation
* Unofficial flags of the USMOI

Historic|

* Confederate States
* Cuba
* Philippines (Commonwealth)
* California (Republic)
* Maine (1901–1909)
* Panama Canal Zone
* Texas (Republic)
* Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
* Ryukyu Islands (1950–1972)
* Vermont (Republic)
* West Florida (Republic)

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Arkansas

Little Rock (capital)

Topics|

* Index
* Outline
* Arkansans
* Aviation
* Climate change
* Colleges and universities
* Congressional delegations
* County government
* Energy
* Geography
* Government
* Governors
* High schools
* Historic Landmarks
* History
* Homelessness
* Images
* Judiciary
* Lakes
* Law
* Constitution
* Mass media
* Newspapers
* Radio
* TV
* Music
* Paleontology
* Places
* Rivers
* School districts
* Sports and recreation
* State parks
* Symbols
* Territory
* Tourist attractions
* Townships
* Transportation
* Water

Society|

* Abortion
* Crime
* Culture
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Gun laws
* LGBT rights
* Politics

Regions|

* Arkansas River Valley
* Ark-La-Tex
* Bayou Bartholomew
* Boston Mountains
* Central Arkansas
* Crowley's Ridge
* Delta
* Four State Area
* McDonald Territory
* Mississippi Alluvial Plain
* New Madrid seismic zone
* Northwest Arkansas
* Ouachita Mountains
* Ozarks
* Piney Woods
* South Arkansas
* Timberlands

Metros|

* Central Arkansas
* Northwest Arkansas
* Fort Smith
* Texarkana
* Jonesboro
* Pine Bluff
* Hot Springs
* Tri-State

Largest
cities|

* Little Rock
* Fort Smith
* Fayetteville
* Springdale
* Jonesboro
* North Little Rock
* Conway
* Rogers
* Pine Bluff
* Bentonville
* Hot Springs
* Benton
* Texarkana
* Sherwood
* Jacksonville
* Russellville
* Bella Vista
* West Memphis
* Paragould
* Cabot

Counties|

* Arkansas
* Ashley
* Baxter
* Benton
* Boone
* Bradley
* Calhoun
* Carroll
* Chicot
* Clark
* Clay
* Cleburne
* Cleveland
* Columbia
* Conway
* Craighead
* Crawford
* Crittenden
* Cross
* Dallas
* Desha
* Drew
* Faulkner
* Franklin
* Fulton
* Garland
* Grant
* Greene
* Hempstead
* Hot Spring
* Howard
* Independence
* Izard
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Johnson
* Lafayette
* Lawrence
* Lee
* Lincoln
* Little River
* Logan
* Lonoke
* Madison
* Marion
* Miller
* Mississippi
* Monroe
* Montgomery
* Nevada
* Newton
* Ouachita
* Perry
* Phillips
* Pike
* Poinsett
* Polk
* Pope
* Prairie
* Pulaski
* Randolph
* St. Francis
* Saline
* Scott
* Searcy
* Sebastian
* Sevier
* Sharp
* Stone
* Union
* Van Buren
* Washington
* White
* Woodruff
* Yell

Arkansas portal
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template