Flag of Pennsylvania

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox flag The flag of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania consists of a blue field on which the state coat of arms is displayed.

History

File:The government of the people of the state of Pennsylvania (1902) (14598125807).jpg

The Pennsylvania state flag depicted in The Government of the People of the State of Pennsylvania (1902)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

On April 9, 1799, the Pennsylvania General Assembly authorized the use of the state coat of arms on flags for the state militia.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> These flags took various forms over the years, most commonly featuring the coat of arms either replacing the field of stars in the union of the US flag, or being placed alone on a field of blue. The depiction of the coat of arms would also vary from flag to flag, as the colors in the escutcheon of the arms were changed in 1809, and the color of the horses was not standardized until 1875.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1805 Danish painter Christian Gullage was commissioned to paint the state coat of arms on a blue banner. It measured 4 feet by 2 feet, with gold fringe at the bottom.<ref>Pennsylvania State Fencibles Banner, Painted by Gullager, Circa 1798 Magnificent early banner of the Pennsylvania Fencibles.</ref>

The legislature eventually chose to create a standardized flag for general use, featuring a now-standardized coat of arms alone on a plain field of blue mandated to be the "same color as the blue field in the flag of the United States".<ref name="bill 1907">Template:Cite web</ref> This new flag was enacted by law on June 13, 1907.<ref name="stateflag">Template:Cite web</ref>

File:4th-of-July-1819-Philadelphia-John-Lewis-Krimmel.JPG

Celebration of July 4th, in Centre Square, Philadelphia, 1819. The state flag is flying on the right.

Criticism and attempts to change the flag

The Pennsylvania flag has been criticized for the complexity of its design, and its inability to stand out from other similar state flags across the US. Several attempts have been made by the Pennsylvania legislature and the public to address these criticisms by changing or altering the flag.

2001 NAVA Survey

In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed 100 of its members and 337 members of the general public on the designs of the 72 U.S. state, U.S. territorial and Canadian provincial flags. The survey ranked Pennsylvania's flag 57th out of the 72, with a score of 3.69 on a scale of 0 to 10.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its low ranking was attributed to both the complexity of the coat of arms on its design, and its inability to stand out among a sea of similar “seal on a bedsheet” designs common to more than half of U.S. state flags.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Attempts to add "Pennsylvania" to the flag (2004–2014)

Between 2004 and 2014, several attempts were made to add the word "Pennsylvania" to the state flag. According to former State Representative Tim Solobay (who introduced the first set of bills), this was intended to make Pennsylvania's flag more unique and identifiable.<ref name="Solobay Statement">Template:Cite news</ref>

While the bill failed to leave committee in the first two sessions it was introduced,<ref name="bill 2004">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="bill 2005">Template:Cite web</ref> a 2006 survey offered by Solobay's office<ref name="2006 survey">Template:Cite web</ref> to help refine the defined design may have swayed legislators to act on the bill, which was amended on May 7, 2007.<ref name="bill 2007">Template:Cite web</ref> On June 11, 2007, The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill, 164–31.<ref name="Solobay Statement" /> The Senate State Government Committee never considered the bill, which died at the end of the Pennsylvania General Assembly's two-year session.

The bill was reintroduced by Solobay in 2009,<ref name="bill 2009 Solobay">Template:Cite web</ref> and on the next session day, a second similar bill was introduced by former State Representative Gary Haluska with a competing definition of the design.<ref name="bill 2009 Haluska">Template:Cite web</ref> Neither bill was raised in committee that session. Haluska's proposal was reintroduced alone in both the 2011–12<ref name="bill 2011">Template:Cite web</ref> and 2013–14 sessions,<ref name="bill 2013">Template:Cite web</ref> and died in committee both times.

Proposals to change the flag between 2004 and 2014
2004–2007 proposal,<ref name="bill 2004" /><ref name="bill 2005" />Template:FIAV adding "the word 'Pennsylvania' to be embroidered upon the flag in yellow silk."
2007–2010 proposal,<ref name="bill 2007" /><ref name="bill 2009 Solobay" />Template:FIAV adding the words "Commonwealth Of" to the top and "Pennsylvania" to the bottom of the flag in yellow silk, and arching the lettering around the coat of arms
2009–2014 proposal,<ref name="bill 2009 Haluska" /><ref name="bill 2011" /><ref name="bill 2013" />Template:FIAV adding the word "Pennsylvania" in yellow silk "centered within a symmetrical red festoon, similar to that containing the State motto; and the festoon to be centered above the bald eagle on the coat of arms."

The Keystone Flag

File:Keystone Flag.svg

The "Keystone Flag"

In 2017 the "Keystone Flag" was designed by Tara Stark, a Pennsylvanian woman. <ref name="Spotlight PA Identity Crisis">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The flag incorporates a keystone symbol, the de-facto state emblem of Pennsylvania, into a tricolor design using the colors of the state's coat of arms <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as a reference to the symbolism of the existing flag.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Spotlight PA Identity Crisis" />

The flag gained popularity in online vexillological circles, winning multiple online contests, and began receiving wider attention following high-profile changes to the flag of Mississippi and the flag of Utah. The design was formally released into the public domain in August 2022.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Stark launched a Kickstarter campaign in November 2022 to print flags and create other merchandise featuring the design, raising more than $4,500. The design later began being sold by multiple unrelated manufacturers and has since seen more popular use, including on a lapel pin worn by state representative Izzy Smith-Wade-El,<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> and has been referenced by multiple media outlets.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Broad redesign efforts (2023-present)

On June 16, 2023, Pennsylvania State Representative Joe Webster released a memorandum proposing a commission to "study the history of the state flag, solicit design submissions for a new state flag, and recommend changes to the state flag."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A House Resolution was formally introduced later that month, but did not receive a hearing before the legislative session ended.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Webster has issued a new memorandum for the 2025-26 session.<ref name="2025 Memorandum">Template:Cite web</ref>

Galleries

Historical depictions of the Pennsylvania flag

A Pennsylvania state flag from 1863, featuring a ring of stars around the coat of arms. It was made in November 1863 by a Philadelphia flag manufacturer for Governor Curtin's use during the Gettysburg National Cemetery's dedication on November 19, 1863.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
A Pennsylvania state flag that may have been used by a National Guard unit during World War I, depicting a white scroll instead of the red one used today.
The Pennsylvania state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series.
Older state flag with a golden eagle