Flag of Michigan

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Flag of Michigan

The flag of the U.S. state of Michigan depicts the state's coat-of-arms on a dark blue field, as set forth by Michigan state law.^[1] The state coat of arms depicts a light blue shield, upon which the sun rises over a lake and peninsula, and a man with raised hand and holding a long gun representing peace and the ability to defend his rights.^[2] The elk and moose depict great animals of Michigan, while the bald eagle represents the United States.^[3]

The design features three Latin mottos. From top-to-bottom they are:

On red ribbon: E Pluribus Unum, "Out of many, one", a motto of the United States
On light blue shield: Tuebor, "I will defend"
On white ribbon: Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice, "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you" (the official state motto)

The present flag, adopted in 1911, was the third state flag. The first flag featured a portrait of Michigan's first governor, Stevens T. Mason, on one side and the state coat of arms and "a soldier and a lady" on the other side. The second flag, adopted in 1865, displayed the state coat of arms on one side and the United States coat of arms on the other side.^[3]

By state law, the Governor has a variant of the flag that features a white field instead of a blue one.^[1]

Michigan's pledge of allegiance to the state flag was written by Harold G. Coburn and was officially adopted as Public Act 165 of 1972. ^[4]

I pledge allegiance to the flag of Michigan, and to the state for which it stands, two beautiful peninsulas united by a bridge of steel, where equal opportunity and justice to all is our ideal.

The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA), in its 2001 survey of United States and Canadian state, provincial, and territorial flags rated the current Michigan flag 59th out of 72 flags evaluated.^[5]