Kansas’s current flag was officially approved in 1927. The Kansas state seal and the official flower, the sunflower, are featured on the Kansas flag.
In 1961, the flag was updated to include the state’s name at the bottom. On most occasions, the state would be represented by the flag that had been adopted on March 23rd, 1927.
Keep reading to find out more fam!
What Does Kansas Look Like?
Kansas, located in the centre of the United States, cannot access the ocean. Famously flat, around two-thirds of Kansas is located on the Great Plains, while the eastern third is more mountainous and forested.
Numerous Native American tribes have called Kansas home for thousands of years. The Kansa Americans (the Kaw Nation tribe) are honoured in the state’s name since the Kansa River is named for them.
Coronado, a Spanish explorer, arrived in the area in 1541. He was the first European to set foot there. Between the years 1763 and 1803, however, this region was a part of Spanish Louisiana.
Much of modern-day Kansas was purchased by the United States in 1803. Initially a part of Missouri Territory, Kansas became its own territory in 1854. Kansas became a state in 1861.
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What is the History of the Kansas Flag?
The first time the Kansas state flag was flown was at a Fourth of July parade in Lincoln the same year (1925), thanks to designer Hazel Avery.
Adopted in 1927 and updated in 1961 (with the addition of gold block text spelling out “Kansas” below the seal).
Kansas Governor Benjamin S. Paulen presented the flag to the Kansas National Guard and Fort Riley troops for the first time in 1927.
The state banner served as Kansas’s flag from 1925 and 1927. The Kansas state flag, which features a big sunflower and the word “Kansas” on a blue background, was designed to be displayed on a horizontal bar, not a flagpole.
To minimize “competition” with the American flag, it was given a special design.
The state flag was established in 1961 by the state legislature after the banner was denied for exhibition in Washington, D.C. and objections about its hanging method were lodged.
Apart from the inclusion of the word “Kansas” at the bottom, the flag has remained unchanged since its adoption.
The state banner is recognized as a valid substitute for the state flag, under the standards set forth by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA).
The banner, which displays a single sunflower on a blue background, was designed by Adjutant General Joe Nickell and is featured on the organization’s website.
The Kansas State Historical Society, on the other hand, mentions the identical design only in the context of a flag submitted by Albert T. Reid prior to the adoption of the state banner.
How To Describe the Kansas Flag
The official flag of Kansas is a horizontally oriented dark blue silk rectangle with the state seal centred in it.
The seal features a sunflower perched on top of a golden and light blue horizontal bar. The word “KANSAS” appears underneath the state seal to identify the location.
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What Does the Kansas Flag Symbolize?
To begin with, there are 34 stars across the top, a significant amount given that Kansas was the 34th state to join the Union. There are mountains visible underneath the night sky, and the sun will rise in the east.
In the foreground, a man and his horses can be seen ploughing the field in front of a settler’s cabin. This is symbolic of the state’s long history of farming.
There’s a river and a riverboat in the back of the cabin. The Kansas River and commerce are shown here.
Additionally, there is a wagon train travelling west, representing the growth of the United States, and to the left, there are two native Americans on horseback pursuing five bison.
These are symbolic of the prairies of Kansas and the history of the state that is shared by many Native American groups.
The state motto “Ad astra per aspera” is also featured at the top of the seal. The literal translation of this Latin proverb is “to the stars by way of adversity.”
This symbolizes the many trials endured by Kansas in the past, including Indian invasions, war, and slavery.
The state flower, the sunflower, is depicted atop a gold and blue bar on the seal. Buying the Louisiana Territory in 1803 is represented by this bar.
The United States of America purchased 828 thousand square miles of territory from France; this area included what is now the state of Kansas.
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Conclusion
Between 1925 and 1927, when Kansas finally adopted its state flag, the state used a banner that performed essentially the same purpose.
Kansas’s state flag had a bright yellow sunflower on a deep blue backdrop, with the state’s name emblazoned across the top.
Instead of being hoisted on a flag pole, the banner was made to be suspended from a horizontal bar. For further enquiries do well to hit us up via the comment section below!
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