Flag of Arkansas

Design and characteristics

The principal composition places a large white diamond with a surrounding blue border centered on a red rectangular field. Within the blue border are twenty-five small white stars. Centered in the white lozenge is the word "ARKANSAS" in blue, accompanied by four larger blue stars arranged with one star above the name and three below. The upper star and the two outer lower stars point upward, while the inner lower star points downward. The red, white and blue palette echoes the national colors of the United States.

• Diamond shape: The diamond is commonly interpreted as referencing Arkansas’s diamond-bearing geology and the presence of the Crater of Diamonds, the only public diamond-bearing site in the United States.
• Twenty-five small stars: These small stars, set into the blue border, are generally associated with Arkansas’s admission as the 25th state of the Union.
• Four larger stars: These stars have been explained in various ways in state tradition and scholarship, most often as a compact symbol of the state’s historical associations and the sequence of governments or flags under which Arkansas has existed.

History and adoption

The flag’s design originated with Willie Hocker of Wabbaseka, an Arkansas native and member of the Pine Bluff chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Hocker submitted her design in response to a state-level effort to choose a distinctive flag for Arkansas, and her proposal was selected and made official in the early 20th century. The design has undergone minor refinements since its original adoption to standardize the arrangement and proportions of the stars, the lettering, and the diamond border, but the essential composition has remained the same.

The involvement of civic organizations such as the DAR and the use of a public or legislative selection process reflect a common pattern in American state flag adoption during that era: local designers, public contests or committee recommendations, followed by legislative approval. Willie Hocker’s design stands out for combining clear symbolism with a bold, easily reproducible graphic.

Use, variations and notable facts

The Arkansas flag is used at state government buildings, schools, and civic events and appears on official materials and monuments. Variations in manufacture exist for different purposes—ceremonial flags, small hand-held versions, and flags for outdoor display—though official guidelines typically specify color shades, proportions and the placement of stars to maintain consistency.

Several notable points about the flag are frequently mentioned in descriptions and guides: its diamond motif is one of the most distinctive among U.S. state flags; its arrangement of stars invites historical interpretation; and its designer was an active member of a local DAR chapter. For further reference on official specifications and historical background, see state resources and local historical organizations:

1. Official flag specifications and state information
2. Biography and background on Willie Hocker
3. Pine Bluff chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution