Flag of Tennessee

Facts about the Flag of Tennessee

1. The three stars stand for the three grand divisions of the state — East, Middle and West Tennessee — and the circle binding them represents their unity.
2. The designer, LeRoy Reeves, wrote that the blue bar at the fly exists purely for visual balance, so the flag does not appear to be all red when hanging limp. It is one of the few flag elements with a documented purely aesthetic purpose.
3. The flag of Tennessee was officially adopted on April 17, 1905. It was designed by LeRoy Reeves.
4. The flag in its present form is 121 years old as of 2026.
5. Design type: Red field with a blue disc bearing three stars, and a blue fly bar.
6. The official proportions are 3:5. It shares that ratio with 20 national flags.
7. The flag uses 3 colours: red, blue and white.
8. The red on the flag stands for the field.
9. The blue on the flag stands for the disc and fly bar.
10. The white on the flag stands for the fimbriations and stars.
11. Three stars: The three grand divisions of the state — East, Middle and West Tennessee.
12. Circle: The indissoluble unity of the three divisions.
13. Blue fly bar: Added purely so the flag would show colour when hanging limp.
14. The design belongs to the "Plain field with a central emblem" family, shared with 70 other flags in this reference.
15. Flags most often confused with it: Antarctica, Arkansas and Aruba.
16. Tennessee joined the Union on 1 June 1796, as the 16th state.
17. The state is nicknamed The Volunteer State.
18. The state bird is the northern mockingbird.