Oklahoma State Flag

Adopted on April 2, 1925.

The present Oklahoma State Flag adopted by the State Legislature in 1925, is Oklahoma's 14th flag.

The flag of the state of Oklahoma consists of a traditional Osage Nation buffalo-skin shield with seven eagle feathers on a sky blue field.

The Oklahoma State Flag

The Oklahoma state flag honors more than 60 groups of Native Americans and their ancestors. The blue field comes from a flag carried by Choctaw soldiers during the civil war. The center shield is the battle shield of an Osage warrior. It is made of buffalo hide and decorated with eagle feathers. Two symbols of peace lie across the shield. One is the calumet, or peace pipe. The other is an olive branch. Crosses on the shield are Native American signs for stars, representing high ideals. The flag was designed by Mrs. Louise Fluke.

An Osage warrior's buckskin shield, decorated with pendant eagle feathers is the basic design. In crossed positions over the shield are an Indian peace pipe and an olive branch, the white man's symbol of peace. The flag is a rich sky blue. The word "Oklahoma" is white. The Osage war shield is tan outlined in red, the peace pipe is white with red tips and the olive branch is green.

Oklahoma Flag of 1911

Oklahoma's first flag was adopted in 1911, four years after statehood. Taking the colors red, white, and blue from the flag of the United States, the flag featured a large centered white star fimbriated in blue on a red field. The number 46 was written in blue inside the star, as Oklahoma was the forty-sixth state to join the Union.

Oklahoma Flag of 1925

A contest, sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution, was held in 1924 to replace the flag, as red flags were closely associated with communism. The winning entry by Louise Fluke, which was adopted as the state flag on April 2, 1925, resembled the current flag without the word Oklahoma on it. The 1925 flag, essentially the same as today's state flag

Oklahoma Flag of 1941

The word 'Oklahoma' was added in 1941 in an effort to combat widespread illiteracy.

In 1988, the Oklahoma State Legislature again addressed the design of the state flag. Variations in color among manufacturers did not properly align with the spirit of the design and the 41st Oklahoma Legislature voted to rectify this:

"... it is truely fitting that the Oklahoma flag uniting the ancient lore of the Indian and the white man and symbolizing the peace of a united people should be standardized in color as an example of the solidarity and patriotism of such people; and

WHEREAS, Oklahoma is entering into its 100th year and the cultural and historic integrity of the Oklahoma state flag as designed by Mrs. George Fluke, Jr., and subsequently approved by the Oklahoma Legislature should be preserved and maintained."

The colors and shapes were standardized by Oklahoma Senate Bill 1359 and signed into law by Governor Brad Henry on May 23, 2006.

Symbolism

The Osage shield is covered by two symbols of peace: the calumet representing Native Americans, and the olive branch representing European Americans. Six golden brown crosses, Native American symbols for stars, are spaced on the shield. The blue field is inspired by the Choctaw flag adopted by the tribe in 1860 and carried though the American Civil War.The blue field also represents devotion. The shield surmounted by the calumet and olive branch represents defensive or protective warfare, showing a love of peace by a united people.

Salute

The state legislature adopted the following salute to the flag in 1982:

 "I salute the Flag of the State of Oklahoma: Its symbols of peace unite all people."

Oklahoma Flag Law

Oklahoma Statutes, Title 25.

Oklahoma Statutes, Title 25.
Title 25. Definitions and General Provisions

§25-91. State flag - Design.

A. The banner, or flag, of the design prescribed by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 25, Third Legislature of the State of Oklahoma shall be, and it hereby is superseded and replaced by the following design, to wit:

A sky blue field with a circular rawhide shield of an American Indian Warrior, decorated with six painted crosses on the face thereof, the lower half of the shield to be fringed with seven pendant eagle feathers and superimposed upon the face of the shield a calumet or peace pipe, crossed at right angles by an olive branch, as illustrated by the design accompanying this resolution, and underneath said shield or design in white letters shall be placed the word "Oklahoma", and the same is hereby adopted as the official flag and banner of the State of Oklahoma

B. The standard design and colors in the state flag shall be as follows:

1. The Osage Indian warrior's circular rawhide shield of amber buckskin is center upon a field of French Blue. On the face of the shield shall be six small gold brown crosses that match the thongs lacing the edge of the shield. The vertical bar of each cross shall be twenty-five percent (25%) longer than the horizontal bar, the lower width line of which shall be placed at the fifty percent (50%) mark of the vertical bar and the top width line shall be placed at the top twenty-five percent (25%) mark of the vertical bar. The width of the horizontal bar shall be seventy-five percent (75%) of the vertical bar;

2. The edge of the lower half of the shield shall be fringed with seven pendant eagle feathers of white tipped with gold brown;

3. Across the face of the shield at right angle shall be a calumet or Indian pipe of peace, which shall have a ruby red bowl, flesh stem and be decorated with a ruby red tassel at the end. Above the calumet, lying at a right angle shall be an olive branch of Dartmouth green; and

4. The name Oklahoma in white letters shall appear under the shield on the face of the flag.

C. The standard colors used in production of the state flag shall be:

1. Pantone Matching System, Pantone Inc., latest edition:

      a. field: French Blue PMS 285c,

      b. shield: amber PMS 465c,

      c. feathers shading: flesh and gold brown combination PMS 486c and PMS 174c,

      d. crosses and thongs: gold brown PMS 174c, and

      e. calumet: stem of pipe flesh PMS 486c, body of pipe and tassel ruby red PMS 195c, and olive branch Dartmouth green PMS 554c; and

2. Colors shall be colorfast and shall not bleed one into another. Added by Laws 1925, c. 234, p. 340, § 1. Amended by Laws 1941, p. 90, § 1; Laws 2006, c. 181, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.

§25-91.1. Public institutions - Display of state flag.

Every officer, board or person having jurisdiction over the main administration building of any public institution in this state, shall have the flag of the State of Oklahoma displayed on the respective administration building every day except Sunday and when the weather is inclement. Laws 1953, p. 99, § 1.

§25-91.2. Public schools - Display of state flag.

It shall be the duty of the district boards or boards of education of every public school in this state, to cause the flag of the State of Oklahoma to be displayed during every school day from a flagstaff or pole, except that the flag need not be displayed in inclement weather. Laws 1953, p. 99, § 2.

§25-91.3. State Flag Day.

Statehood Day, the 16th day of November of each year, is also designated as the official Oklahoma State Flag Day, and it is recommended that said day be observed by the people of this state by the display of the official flag of the State of Oklahoma and in such other ways as will be in harmony with the general character of the day. Laws 1968, p. 823, H.J.R.No. 563, § 1, emerg. eff. April 29, 1968.

§25-91a. State agencies and boards of education - Display of state flag.

It shall be the duty of all state agencies and boards of education of this state to display the state flag with the standard design and colors as specified in Section 91 of Title 25 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Added by Laws 2006, c. 181, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.

Official Salute:

House Concurrent Resolution No. 1034
A Concurrent Resolution adopting an official salute to the Oklahoma State Flag.

WHEREAS, the Oklahoma Legislature adopted Senate Joint Resolution No. 24 on May 9, 1941, which officially approved and adopted the present Oklahoma State Flag; and

WHEREAS, no official form of salute has been provided for the Oklahoma State Flag; and

WHEREAS, 1982 is Oklahoma's Diamond Jubilee Anniversary and an appropriate time for adopting a salute to the Oklahoma State Flag.
Now, Therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the 2nd Session of the 38th Oklahoma Legislature, the Senate concurring therein:

THAT the following is adopted as the official salute to the Oklahoma State Flag:

"I salute the flag of the State of Oklahoma. Its symbols of peace unite all people."

Adopted by the House of Representatives the 22nd day of April, 1982.
Adopted by the Senate the 18th day of May, 1982.
Filed with the Secretary of State May 19, 1982.