Illinois state flag redesign
Redesign
Current Illinois flag
Illinois's current flag is a classic seal-on-a-bedsheet design, but the bigger problem is that its symbolism could belong to any state. The eagle, shield and stars say "we're American" without saying anything about Illinois.
Design and symbolism
The Illinois Centennial flag is the inspiration for my redesign, but I replace its 21 separate stars with a simpler arrangement of five stars. Four smaller blue five-pointed stars surround a larger six-pointed star in the center.
The Centennial Flag
The design draws directly from the Illinois Centennial flag, retaining its distinctive use of stars while simplifying the arrangement.
The 21st State
The four smaller stars represent the 20 states that preceded Illinois, with each point representing one of those states. The central six-pointed star represents Illinois as the 21st state.
Fivefold Illinois
The five stars also represent several groups of five associated with Illinois: the Indigenous nations of the Illinois Confederation, its five geographic regions, and the five Great Lakes. The central star's six points provide a visual link to Chicago's six-pointed flag star, while its position and contrasting colours can also represent Lake Michigan among the Great Lakes.
I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands throughout Australia on which these federal divisions are drawn and pay my respects to their Elders, past and present.