Flag of Massachusetts
The flag of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was adopted on March 18, 1908, and has only been changed once in 1971 with the removal of the reverse side. The flag features the coat of arms of the Commonwealth on a white field. The state currently has three official flags: a state flag, a governor's flag, and a "naval and maritime flag".
With Florida, it is one of only two state flags to prominently feature a Native American. The flag of Minnesota also featured a Native American until 2024.
Statute
The 2023 Massachusetts General Laws, Part I, Title I, Chapter 2, § 3 defines that the flag of the Commonwealth shall consist of:Design of the coat of arms
The law defining the coat of arms of the commonwealth states that it shall consist of:The current graphic form, based on earlier colonial and Revolutionary imagery, was drawn by artist Edmund H. Garrett and adopted in 1900. The figure on the shield, as standardized in 1890, is a composite whose head was modeled after the Ojibwe leader Thomas Little Shell.
Design and symbolism
The shield is meant to depict an Algonquian Native American with bow and arrow; the arrow is pointed downward, signifying peace. However, the face of the figure is modelled on a photo of Ojibwe chief Thomas Little Shell. A white star with five points appears next to the figure's head, signifying Massachusetts as a U.S. state. A blue ribbon surrounds the shield, bearing the state motto Ense Petit Placidam, Sub Libertate Quietem.Above the shield is the state military crest: the bent arm holding a broadsword aloft. The sword has its blade up, to remind that it was through the American Revolution that liberty was won. The sword itself is a copy of one belonging to Myles Standish and signifies the philosophy that one would rather lose their right arm than live under tyranny.
History
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been represented by official but limited-purpose flags since 1676, though until 1908, it had no state flag to represent its government. A variant of the white flag with blue seal was carried by each of the Massachusetts volunteer regiments during the American Civil War alongside the National Colors. An exception were the two "Irish regiments", each of which was permitted to carry an alternative green flag with a harp symbol.In 1860, the first state flag was flown over the state house, the flag was again displayed over the house 3 years later.
In January of 1876, ex-Governor Shepard held a party in Washington D.C. In the center of the reception was and arch, and hanging from it was a white pennant bearing the coat of arms of the state in the middle.
In 1882, Governor Long order that the state flag be raised over the state house.
In 1892, Commodore Gerry's yacht flew a state flag that was described as "a white flag bearing the state coat of arms". Upon seeing the flag, state governor William E. Russell wanted a copy. Russell traveled throughout the state asking for one. When he finally got to Adjutant General Dalton, he was informed that there was a flag stored in Fort Warren. The flag was later sent to the Governor on board the America. The flag was later displayed at the Chicago World's Fair on the Massachusetts building. The whole thing measured 14 feet by 20 feet.
In 1896, delegates from the state traveled to Indianapolis to show support to presidential candidate Grover Cleveland. They carried with them a "state banner". It was descibed as: "white silk with the coat-of-arms of the State embroidered in the center."
In 1906, Governor Guild displayed a state flag in Boston's civic center. It was similar to the 1908 state flag but with a scroll on the reverse side containing the words: "Headquarters of Commander-of-Chief." Also bearing Laurus nobilis and palm leafs around the shield.
When the official state flag was adopted on March 18, 1908, the flag had a reverse side that featured a green pine on a blue shield. In 1971, the reverse side was removed.
In 1917, the flag was used by Governor Samuel W. McCall as his personal flag.
Naval and maritime flag
In April 1776, the Massachusetts State Navy adopted, as its flag, a white field charged with a green pine tree and the motto "An Appeal to Heaven." In 1971 the motto was removed, and the flag was designated "the naval and maritime flag of the Commonwealth".Massachusetts is one of only three states with its own maritime ensign. The second is Maine, which was part of Massachusetts until 1820. Third and last is South Carolina, which activated her navy twice: first during the American Revolutionary War and again during the American Civil War.
Attempts to change the flag
In 1939, Massachusetts motorists staged a protest at the State House by dressing as cuckoo birds to criticize what they called "cuckoo taxation." Their complaint centered on the state's practice of diverting highway tax revenues to unrelated government uses, comparing it to the cuckoo bird laying its eggs in another bird’s nest and letting others bear the burden. As part of the demonstration, they offered to the legislators a mock "new state flag" featuring a cuckoo.In 2022, a flag was incorrectly displayed as the Massachusetts state flag on a fake "Refugee Benefits" brochure distributed to the Martha's Vineyard migrants in 2022. It had originally been designed by Will Bodine in 2020, as a proposed flag for Massachusetts. The flower on the shield is a mayflower, the official state flower, while the six stars represent Massachusetts' status as the sixth state to join the Union.
Special Comission (2021–2023)
On January 11, 2021, Governor Charlie Baker signed a bill establishing a commission to change the state flag and seal by October 1, 2021, that will "faithfully reflect and embody the historic and contemporary commitments of the Commonwealth to peace, justice, liberty and equality and to spreading the opportunities and advantages of education." The bill was previously approved by the Massachusetts Senate on July 28, 2020. The Special Commission on Massachusetts Flag and Seal first met in July 2021. In April 2022 the Commission voted to ask the state legislature to extend the deadline for completion of the commission's work to March 31, 2023In May 2022, the Commission recommended changing the seal, motto, and flag; however the Commission failed to agree upon a proposal. With lawmakers not having extended the deadline past December 31, 2022, and the commission's own deadline having expired at the end of March 2023, as well as UMass Amherst polling showing lukewarm support for a change, the issue appeared to be closed for the time. In 2023, the commission concluded without recommending specific replacements for either flag or seal, though the commission's co-chair Brian Boyles stated that he and his colleagues had made significant progress on the issue.
Seal, Flag, and Motto Advisory Commission (2024–present)
On July 29, 2024, Governor Maura Healey signed a budget amendment to change the state flag, seal, and motto. Public proposals were invited during May and June 2025, resulting in 1,165 submissions.Semifinalists
The Massachusetts Seal, Flag, and Motto Advisory Commission narrowed down the submissions to 48 semi-finalists. Of the 48 semi-finalist designs, 21 used a white field, 16 a blue field, and 9 a cranberry field. Blue appeared in 39 designs overall and white in 35. Common motifs included five-point stars, pine trees, Mayflowers, lighthouses, waves, and whale tails. Thirteen designs featured exactly six five-point stars. Gold and green were primarily used as accents in stars, suns, or trees, with green mainly for pine trees.Finalists
The Commission publicized the final three flag proposals on August 28, 2025.;The Blue Hill Banner
According to this flag's submitter:
;Mayflower
According to this flag's submitter:
;Turkey Feathers
The image https://www.mass.gov/info-details/seal-flag-and-motto-round-three-selections of the flag is not shown, as the "Turkey Feathers" design contains copyrighted graphics.
According to this flag's submitter: