Tennessee Flag

The Tennessee state flag is fairly different from other states state flags. It does not display the states seal on a blue background. The Tennessee flag actually has a red background. In the center of the flag of Tennessee is a dark blue circle filled with three white five-pointed stars. The circle is rimmed with a very small white band. On the right end of Tennessee’s state flag, the so called fly of the flag is a vertical dark blue band and between the red field and the dark blue band is another thin white vertical band. The designer of the Tennessee flag is Colonel LeRoy Reeves of the Third Regiment of the Tennessee National Guard Infantry. Tennessee’s flag was officially adopted in 1905 and raised for the first time officially in 1911 at a dedication ceremony at a school in Johnson City, Tennessee. The three stars on the Tennessee flag represent the three main geographical areas the state is divided in, West Tennessee, Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee. The stars being in a dark blue circle symbolizes the unity of the Tennessee divisions as one state.

The blue bar on the fly of the Tennessee flag was plain a design decision to make the flag more attracting, more appealing. Some theories suggest that the blue bar on the fly of the flag represents the Tennessee river, and another wrong suggestion is that the three stars are a representation for Tennessee’s entering of the united states as the third state after the original thirteen. The colors of the Tennessee flag are the same ones used on the Confederate battle flag and have therefore been critisized. The colors can also be interpreted as the ones form the United States flag, red white and blue. The color white symbolizes purity, blue the love of the Tennessee inhabitants for their state as well as for the United States and red stands for true-blooded Americans. In 2006 a bill was submitted to create a salute to the Tennessee flag.

Tennessee flags can be bought at anyone of the many flag stores across the United States or with retailers online. Pictures of the Tennessee flag as well as Tennessee flag history can be found in many of the better history books as well as in museums all over the US and especially in Tennessee. Sources online also offer printable pictures of the Tennessee flag and even Tennessee flag coloring pages. Tennessee’s flag is proudly flown in its capital Nashville.