Once a flag design is in place, it's pretty rare for it to change. The U.S. flag has evolved as the country grew, but the underlying design has stayed intact. And the examples from earlier in this lesson all have to do with designing flags for new organizations, states, or governments. But with many flag designs being hundreds of years old, isn't there some room for improvement? What if you could redesign a state flag from scratch, combining the rich history and values of a culture with modern graphic design tools and meaningful symbolism?

Of the 50 states in the Union, there are currently 33 whose flags employ either a coat of arms or a state seal. Of those, 22 are on a plain blue field. Michigan's current flag is pretty indistinct, and it is rarely flown by private citizens. It is common to find residents who aren't even aware of it.

A graphic designer named Christopher Young’s goal was to design a flag which is simple, striking, and truly represents all Michiganders– whether urban, suburban, or rural, from Bessemer to Monroe, irrespective of ethnicity or religion. One thing that ties many of them together and is a source of great pride for most residents of the state is Michigan’s unique geography. Comprised of two peninsulas and bordering four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan boasts 3,235 miles of shoreline. Among the states, this is second only to Alaska!

Here is Young's new flag design for Michigan. The two green bands represent Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The central blue band containing four white stars represents the four Great Lakes contiguous with Michigan–Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie. The thin white lines (also called fimbriation) between the bands provides distinction between the colors but is also reminiscent of the white caps commonly seen on the Great Lakes.

In addition, the white stars on blue are a reminder of Michigan's proud status as one of the United States and her commitment to freedom and democracy.