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Flag of New Mexico |
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Since 1912, when New Mexico entered the union, two official state flags have flown over this southwestern state. The first flag of the state was designed by New Mexico historian Ralph Emerson Twitchell and featured a design quite different from the current flag. Mr. Twitchell's flag was blue with a small representation of the flag of the United States in the upper left hand corner and the New Mexico State Seal in the lower right hand corner. "NEW MEXICO" was embroidered diagonally across the field from the lower left hand corner to the upper right hand corner. Enter the Daughters of the American Revolution who had been quite involved with the official state flag designations in other states. In 1920, the Daughters of the American Revolution suggested that a new design be adopted that was more representative of the unique character of New Mexico. This idea had many supporters and, as had been done in other states, a design competition was launched. The winner was Dr. Harry Mera, a Santa Fe physician and archeologist. The flag was constructed by Dr. Mera's wife, Reba. The simple and meaningful design features an interpretation of an ancient symbol of the sun as found on a late 19th century water jar from Zia Pueblo. This red symbol is called a "Zia" and is centered on a field of yellow. The yellow field and red symbol colors are the colors of Isabel of Castilla, Spain, first brought to New Mexico by Spanish explorers in 1540. On New
Mexico's flag we see a red sun with rays stretching out from it.
There are four groups of rays with four rays in each group. This
is an ancient sun symbol of a Native American people called the
Zia, who believed that the giver of all good gave them gifts in
groups of four: |
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