Massachusetts State Flag

The Massachusetts state flag is the official state flag of Massachusetts. A white background covers the entire field. The coat of arms rests against a white field, referencing the state's colonial charter.

The coat of arms shows a Native American figure holding a bow and arrow. A blue shield with a white star stands beside the figure. A gold five-pointed star appears above. The Latin motto Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem curves on a blue ribbon below. Schools, courthouses, and public buildings throughout Massachusetts raise this flag, and the phrase is explained on the Massachusetts state motto page.

The flag represents Massachusetts through colonial-era symbolism adapted over centuries. The coat of arms combines imagery from the Massachusetts Bay Colony seal with later additions. The design emphasizes peace, freedom, and the commonwealth's historical foundations.

The Native American figure represents the indigenous peoples who inhabited Massachusetts before European settlement. The downward-pointing arrow symbolizes peace rather than conflict. This imagery appeared on the colony's seal as early as the 1600s and sits within the broader Bay State historical identity.

The motto Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem translates to By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty. This phrase emphasizes that Massachusetts values peace but will defend freedom when necessary. The motto has appeared on Massachusetts symbols since 1775.

Massachusetts established its current flag in 1971. The legislature codified a design that had evolved over decades. Earlier versions of a white flag with the coat of arms appeared as early as 1908. The 1971 law formalized specifications and proportions.

The coat of arms itself traces to colonial times. The Massachusetts Bay Colony used a seal showing a Native American figure from the 1620s. That imagery carried forward through statehood in 1788. The shield, star, and motto were added in later modifications.

Before 1971, the flag had different designs on its reverse side. The back showed a blue shield with a green pine tree. This pine tree symbolized New England's timber industry and colonial resistance. After the Pine Tree Riot in 1772, the pine became an emblem of independence tied to the legacy of the official Massachusetts state tree.

The flag uses white, blue, gold, brown, and green. White forms the field. Blue appears in the shield and ribbon. Gold colors the star above the shield. Brown and green show in the Native American figure and natural elements, while the modern palette is compared in the list of U.S. state colors.