deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

The State of Illinois. A midwestern state, one of the many states we have lived in. The word Illinois most likely was borrowed from the Ojibwe language by French Missionaries. The word irenwe-wa is something they heard the Indigenous people say, the French added their transliterative ‘ois’ and came up with Illinois. (The Ojibwe word translates as “He speaks the regular way”.

The flag does not receive high marks for design. It is basically a white bed sheet with the state seal slapped in the middle. The current version was changed in 1969 from the original design from 1868. In 1969, the state legislature decided…’oh we better put our name on the bottom so people know who the flag is for…’

The official flag is considered a poor, or ‘bad flag’. As mentioned, it is a ‘white bed sheet with the state seal in the middle’, it is no different than dozens of other state flags. Then, when they added the word ‘Illinois’ it lost more ‘good flag points’. The movement began to design a flag that better represented this important and beautiful state.

A contest was begun and citizens were asked for suggestions. Below are the ten finalists that the people will vote upon. Each panel has two flags, which number (1 – 10) would you vote for?

Just for grins and giggles here are four designs that did not make the final consideration.