Mississippi releases more than 2,000 submissions for new state flag

More than 2,000 Mississippi flag design ideas were released online Monday following a weekslong public submission process.

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History posted the flag designs on its website, mdah.ms.gov. Members of the commission charged with redesigning the flag will each now select 25 of their favorites.

Committee to narrow choices through ranking system

Later this month, the nine-member commission plans to meet and narrow the submissions to five finalists following a ranking process. Those finalists may also be designed by the commission members themselves — or pull design themes from multiple flags proposals submitted by the public. 

Lawmakers last month removed the former flag and its Confederate battle emblem after heated debate and outside pressure. The next state flag must not include the Confederate symbol, and it must include the words "In God We Trust."

More:Here's how Mississippi's flag commission plans to narrow down more than 1,000 submissions

Magnolias, Mississippi imagery popular in designs

Some of the submissions posted Monday were drawn by children, or roughly described on pieces of note paper. Many incorporate magnolia blossoms, the official state flower. At a flag commission last week, well-known Mississippi gardener and radio host Felder Rushing provided a brochure urging commissioners to include the magnolia blossom in their final design.

Other proposals include wavy blue lines that might represent the Mississippi River, or references to college football. 

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Some submissions incorporate the state seal, which includes the words "In God We Trust" already. One flag design threw in "In Yahweh we trust," and "In Allah we trust" for good measure. Many ideas will likely be weeded out because they don't include the language, or appear to have Confederate-styled imagery. 

Numerous submissions appear to violate the basics of flag design, as outlined by Mississippi vexillologist Clay Moss last week. Those key themes include simplicity; strong symbolism; only two or three colors; no text, seals or coats of arms; and to be distinct and demonstrate a strong relationship to Mississippi. "If you have to write 'Mississippi' on the flag, something went wrong with the design," he said. 

More:'You are making history': Mississippi flag commission begins process to choose new banner

First round of weeding expected to be complete by Friday

Commissioners plan to each choose their favorite 25 flag submissions by Friday. Next week, commissioners will examine those narrowed designs and rank their 10 favorites. They also may choose to create some flag designs themselves. Those lists will be ranked by MDAH officials, who will then reveal an overall top 10. 

Sometime in mid-August, the commission plans to meet again and approve the five finalists. Those five designs will then be turned into real fabric flags, and a public comment period will begin Aug. 25.

On Sept. 2, the commission plans to make its final selection. That flag will go before voters for approval in November. 

Contact Luke Ramseth at 601-961-7050 or lramseth@gannett.com. Follow @lramseth on Twitter.