The process of submitting new designs for the Mississippi state flag was officially announced this week.

As established by House Bill 1796, which removes the current state flag that features the Confederate emblem, allows a vote to take place this fall on a new design picked by a commission.

“MDAH is serving a clerical function in the process of redesigning the Mississippi State Flag,” Michael Morris, the director of public relations for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, said.  “Staff are collecting flag design submissions for the members of the Commission to Redesign the Mississippi State Flag to review and consider.”

Criteria for submitting a flag design is as follows:

1. Only unique flag design submissions that include the words “In God We Trust” will be considered by the nine-member commission. Flag descriptions will not be considered.

2. The new flag design cannot include the Confederate battle flag.

3. Flag design submissions must adhere to principles of the North American Vexillological Association:

• Keep It Simple. The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory.
• Use Meaningful Symbolism. The flag’s images, color, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.
• Use Two or Three Basic Colors.
• Be Distinctive or Be Related.

Flag design submissions can be emailed to Emma McRaney at emcraney@mdah.ms.gov. They can also be mailed to Commission to Redesign the Mississippi State Flag, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, P.O. Box 571, Jackson, MS, 39205-0571. The deadline for submissions is August 13, 2020.

“Anyone can submit a design,” Morris said. “There are no resident, age, or other requirements in the statute. The commission will determine procedures and other stipulations once it meets.”

Members of the Commission to Redesign the Mississippi State Flag will be appointed by Governor Tate Reeves, Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, and House Speaker Philip Gunn. They will share more information about their appointments no later than Wednesday, July 15. The commission chair will be chosen by a majority vote of the members of the commission during their first meeting. Members will have until Sept. 14, 2020 to submit a recommendation for the new state flag.

If a majority vote is not reached in November’s election, the commission will then be asked to come up with another design to submit during the 2021 legislative session to be voted on in the next November election. It could also be in a possible special election, if the House and Senate agree to it.

For more information, email info@mdah.ms.gov or visit mdah.ms.gov.