Missouri Flag - Hi Vis

Missouri

The flag of Missouri is a layered symbol of state pride, history, and unity, blending bold colors with rich heraldic detail. Adopted in 1913, its design—created by Marie Elizabeth Watkins Oliver—features horizontal bands of red, white, and blue to honor Missouri’s French heritage and to echo the American flag. At the center lies the state seal, surrounded by twenty-four stars, marking Missouri’s entry as the twenty-fourth state in the Union. The seal itself tells a complex story: two grizzly bears guard a circular emblem that combines the U.S. coat of arms with Missouri’s own symbols of strength and independence. The Latin motto Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto—“Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law”—encapsulates the state’s guiding principle. It’s a flag that fuses European influence, frontier grit, and civic idealism into a single proud design.