False MN/Somalia State Flag Theory Gets Second Life

ST. PAUL, MN — Gov. Tim Walz's selection as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate has sparked renewed attention to a false conspiracy theory about Minnesota's new state flag.

Last year, Minnesota's State Emblems Redesign Commission formally adopted a new state flag, replacing the original one that historians considered racist and vexillologists considered boring.

The chosen design includes the "conceptual" shape of Minnesota in dark blue and the rest of the flag in light blue. The flag also has a single eight-pointed star pointed north on the shape of Minnesota:

But one of the proposed flag designs that ultimately wasn't selected ended up going viral due to a right-wing conspiracy theory involving Rep. Ilhan Omar and the Somali national flag.

The theory claims that Minnesota's new flag resembled the Somali national flag because the state had been "conquered" by Omar and Somali refugees.

But the theory relied on a flag design that had already been rejected by State Emblems Redesign Commission.

Still, several right-wing social media accounts began resurfacing the theory on Tuesday, moments after Walz's selection was made public.

Omar — who became an American citizen after moving to the United States as a Somali refugee — light-heartedly addressed the conspiracy back in December.

Why a new flag and seal?

Minnesota's original state flag dates back to 1858 and was designed by Amelia Hyde Center of Minneapolis.

The flag emblem depicts a pioneer plowing a field while a Native American man on horseback rides toward the sunset.

"Minnesotans For A Better Flag" lists 10 reasons why an update is needed, including that it's boring and its details are too small, confusing, and even controversial.

"The seal originally symbolized the white man’s takeover of the frontier from the Native Americans," the group states. "It is confused with more than twenty other state flags: all blue backgrounds with a seal."

Rep. Andy Smith said on social media last year that he stopped including the original state seal on office stationary and business cards "because it is not respectful to all Minnesotans."

Minnesotans For A Better Flag had several of its own flag design proposals.