Illinois Flag

Illinois Flag History Adopted: June 27, 1969Illinois Flag Design: Seal of Illinois on a white fieldDesigned by Sharon TyndaleIllinois has had two official state flags. The first Illinois flag was adopted on July 6, 1915, after a vigorous campaign by Mrs. Ella Park Lawrence, state regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).Following a contest among Illinois DAR chapters to design an Illinois flag, the Rockford chapter’s entry, designed by Miss Lucy Derwent, was chosen. State Sen. Raymond D. Meeker introduced a bill making the DAR’s design the official state flag, and it became law on July 6, 1915.More than 50 years later, a move to design a new flag was initiated by Chief Petty Officer Bruce McDaniel of Waverly, then serving in Vietnam. The identity of the Illinois flag hanging among other state flags in his mess hall was often questioned because it did not carry the state’s name. Therefore, McDaniel requested the word "Illinois" be added to the flag.A bill to amend the or