South Dakota State Flags
Contents
What is the History of the South Dakota State Flag?
South Dakota state flags date back to 1909, but the original design was not the same as that of the current flag. South Dakota has had three state flags. Ida Anding McNeil created the first one in 1909. It had the sun on the front. The state seal was on the back. A flag with two different sides was hard to make. In 1963, the sun and seal were put together on the front. Later the state’s motto changed to "The Mount Rushmore State." The flag we use today has this motto on it. South Dakota's previous flag flew from 1963 to 1992.
In 1992 legislative action changed the wording on the flag of South Dakota from THE SUNSHINE STATE to THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE. The reason for the change is because "The Sunshine State" is already Florida's motto.
What is the design of the South Dakota State Flag?
The state flag of South Dakota features the great seal on a blazing sun in the center against a field of sky blue. The words "South Dakota" appear above the seal and the official state nickname appears below; "The Mount Rushmore State." South Dakota flags that are designed for indoor and display use have a golden fringe on three sides.
Who designed the South Dakota State Flag?
The state flag was designed by Ida M. Anding, legislative librarian, in 1909 according to the following specifications:
"The Flag of South Dakota shall consist of a field of blue, one and two-thirds as long as it is wide, in the center of which shall be a blazing sun in gold, two-fifths as wide in diameter as the width of the flag. Above this sun shall be arranged in the arc of the circle, in gold letters, the words 'South Dakota' and below this sun in the arc of the circle shall be arranged the words in gold letters, 'The Sunshine State', and on the reverse of the blazing sun shall be printed in dark blue the Great Seal of the State Of South Dakota. The edges of the flag shall be trimmed with a fringe of gold, to be in proportion to the width of the flag. The staff shall be surmounted by a spearhead to which shall be attached cord and tassels of suitable length and size."
What does the South Dakota State Flag Symbols mean?
A farmer is shown in the foreground plowing his fields. In the background cattle, crops, a smelting furnace, and a steamship on a river complete the naturalistic details of the design. It includes symbols of the state and its people to create a flag that represents both the natural world and the people who live within it.
The seal on the flag of South Dakota is a symbol of the state. The state seal features symbolize the following:
1889: The year that the state was admitted to the Union
Cattle grazing: Livestock
Farmer with plow: Agriculture
Smelter, furnace, dump, mill and hoist house: Mining and manufacturing
Steamboat: State commerce and transportation
Trees: The state’s timber industry
"Under God the People Rule" (South Dakota's state motto) appears at the top of the inner circle, which has a background of sky and hills. In the foreground, a steam ship navigates a river running through agricultural and industrial land. The outer circle of the seal bears the words "State of South Dakota," "Great Seal," and "1889" (the year South Dakota became a state).
When was the current State Flag of South Dakota Officially Adopted?
The flag of South Dakota was adopted November 9, 1992 in the most recent design, and hasn't been changed since.
What is the South Dakota Flag Pledge?
The official pledge of the South Dakota flag is "I pledge loyalty and support to the flag and state of South Dakota, land of sunshine, land of infinite variety."
The only protocol to the state flag pledge is that it does not either replace or preempt the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States.
