Monday, July 18, 2016

Oklahoma State Flag History

By Amanda James


The land that today makes up Oklahoma was added to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Throughout the 19th century, the U.S. government relocated Indian tribes from the southeastern United States to the area, and by 1900, over 30 Indian tribes had been moved to what was originally called the Indian Territories.

The official Oklahoma flag was adopted on 2nd April 1925 by the State Legislature. The Oklahoma flag history states that the design of the current Flag was selected from a flag-designing contest organized by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The flag had to be one that could portray the cultural diversity of the state. The winner whose design got chosen was Mrs. Louise Funk Fluke, an artist based in Oklahoma City. The flag has a sky blue field with a depiction of an Osage warrior's shield in the center. The shield is built of buffalo skin and patterned with 7 eagle feathers. Other symbols on the shield are 6 crosses, an olive branch, and a peace pipe.

The blue background of Fluke's design symbolized loyalty and devotion, and the shield suggested the defense of the state. The shield bore small crosses, which stood for stars (as is common in Native American art), and the olive branch and calumet were included as emblems of peace for whites and Native Americans, respectively.

The crosses are actually stars according to the Native American culture and they stand for lofty and noble ideals. Below the shield, the name of the state, Oklahoma is written in bold white letters giving credibility and identity to the flag. Thus with a single glimpse, the Oklahoma Flag can be identified. The current Oklahoma flag showers respect, adulation and honor on some 60 Native American groups as well as their forefathers.

There is a barrage of cheap and inferior Oklahoma flags being imported and sold, that do not comply with the flag statute. This is bad for a number of reasons. Imported flags are cheaply made and inferior to American-made Oklahoma flags, but more importantly, the designs, materials, colors, and methods of printing do not compare well with the better quality, longer-lasting, and correctly designed flags made by American manufacturers. The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize the history of Oklahoma flag for the future.




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