This episode features a conversation about Utah’s new state flag initiative and a bit of Utah history with Dr. Paul Reeve, a professor of history and the Simmons Chair of Mormon Studies at the University of Utah, with podcast host, Pete Codella, Go Utah’s communications director.

Dr. Reeve shares the historical context of each element of the current Utah State Flag and discusses the state’s most popular symbols and geographic landmarks, which may be used, somehow, in a new state flag design.

The new state flag initiative is in the open submission phase until April 30, 2022. At that point, the initiative’s design review subcommittee will review and score designs and state values or characteristics submitted through an online survey. In May, public designers will be hired to submit up to five designs inspired by the public survey and submitted flag designs. The design review subcommittee will review all submissions and select finalists in June.

In August, the new state flag task force will share the proposed flag designs, which will be open to public comment. In September, the design review subcommittee selects three final designs, which will be presented to the new state flag task force. Together, they’ll decide on the adoption of a new state flag.

We hope you enjoy this stroll down memory lane, touching on Utah history in the context of our current state flag.

To learn more about the new state flag initiative and get involved, please visit flag.utah.gov.

Also of note: the current Utah state flag will remain the governor’s official flag, so it’s not going away for good.