Texas State Flag
Texas's Lone Star flag first flew over an independent republic in 1839 — six years before statehood. It's one of the most recognized flags in the world. Here's why.
Texas State Flag
Official State Flag of Texas
- Adopted
- 1839
- Standardized
- 2001
- Status
- Official flag
How the Texas State Flag Is Designed
The Texas state flag is the official flag of the state of Texas. A vertical blue stripe covers one-third of the flag on the left side. A white horizontal stripe fills the upper right section. A red horizontal stripe runs along the bottom.
A single white star sits centered in the blue field. Texans call this design the Lone Star Flag. The flag flies at state offices, schools, and public venues and directly reflects the Lone Star State nickname.
What the Texas Flag Communicates
The Texas state flag meaning stems from the republic period when Texas governed itself as an independent nation. The design reflects Texas identity as a sovereign state before joining the United States.
The lone star represents unity among Texans. It stands for independence and self-determination. The star appeared on earlier Texas revolutionary flags during the fight against Mexican rule.
Blue symbolizes loyalty. White stands for purity. Red represents bravery. These meanings were assigned by the Texas Flag Code to explain the color choices on the banner and match Texas state colors.
Texas Flag History and Adoption
Texas adopted the Lone Star Flag on January 25, 1839. Senator William H. Wharton introduced the legislation in December 1838. The Congress of the Republic of Texas approved the design weeks later. Artist Peter Krag drew the official rendering for ten dollars.
The flag served as the national banner of the Republic of Texas until 1845. Texas became the 28th U.S. state on December 29, 1845. The national flag transitioned to become the state flag at that moment.
Texas seceded from the United States in 1861 and joined the Confederate States of America. The state remained part of the Confederacy until 1865. During this period, Confederate national flags flew alongside the Texas state flag. Texas rejoined the Union after the Civil War ended.
From 1879 to 1933, no official state flag existed on paper. The legislature had repealed old statutes without renewing flag provisions. Texans continued flying the Lone Star Flag anyway. The state formalized the flag again in 1933. Color specifications were added in 2001 using Pantone numbers, reinforcing civic language later mirrored on Texas's motto page.
Earlier Versions of the Texas Flag
Republic of Fredonia Flag
Red and white horizontal stripes flown during a brief independence movement near Nacogdoches.
Burnet Flag
Blue background with a large golden star, adopted as the first official flag of the Republic of Texas.
Lone Star Flag (Republic Period)
Identical design to the modern flag but colors were not standardized and appeared lighter.
Modern State Flag
Official state flag after rejoining the Union, with standardized Pantone colors added in 2001.
Key Symbols on the Texas Flag
Texas State Flag Star
A single white star dominates the blue field on the Texas flag. Texans call this the lone star. The star measures three-fourths the width of the blue stripe.
The lone star existed as a Texas symbol before the flag was created. It appeared on revolutionary banners during the Texas fight for independence from Mexico in 1836. The symbol represented Texan solidarity and the drive for self-rule.
Texas State Flag Blue Field
The vertical blue stripe covers exactly one-third of the flag's length. It runs from top to bottom on the left side. The star sits centered within this blue section.
Blue was chosen to represent loyalty according to the Texas Flag Code. The shade was officially defined in 2001 as Pantone 281.
Texas State Flag Stripes
Two equal horizontal stripes fill the right two-thirds of the flag. The white stripe sits on top. The red stripe runs along the bottom edge.
These stripes trace back to earlier Texas flags including the Republic of Fredonia design from 1826. Red and white together appeared on multiple revolutionary banners before being incorporated into the final flag design.
Texas State Flag Colors
The Texas state flag uses three colors. Red and blue match the colors used in the United States flag. White appears in both the star and the horizontal stripe, and the design is widely used in border-region identity across States That Border Texas.
Texas State Flag Facts
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Sources
- Texas State Library and Archives Commission
- Bullock Texas State History Museum
- Handbook of Texas Online
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