South Dakota Codified Laws
Section 1-6-4. State flag - Description. The state flag or banner shall consist of a field of sky-blue one and two-thirds as long as it is wide. Centered on such field shall be the great seal of South Dakota made in conformity with the terms of the Constitution, which shall be four-ninths the width of the flag in diameter. The seal shall be on a white background with the seal outlined in dark blue or, in the alternative, shall be on a sky-blue background with the seal outlined in dark blue thereon. Surrounding the seal in gold shall be a serrated sun whose extreme width shall be five-ninths the width of the flag. The words "South Dakota" symmetrically arranged to conform to the circle of the sun and seal shall appear in gold letters one-eighteenth the width of the field above the sun and seal and the words "The Mount Rushmore State" in like-sized gold letters and in like arrangement shall appear below the sun and seal. Flags designed of such material as may be provident for outdoor use need have no fringe but flags for indoor and display usage shall have a golden fringe one-eighteenth the width of the flag on the three sides other than the hoist.
Joe McMillan, 20 February 2000
The flag was adopted in 1909 with the sun on the front and the seal on the back. In 1963 both sides were made the same with the sun's rays around the field. In the late 1980's the motto "The Sunshine State" was changed to "The Mount Rushmore State".
Nick Artimovich, 31 July 1996
The flag of South Dakota adopted in 1909 was double-sided. Inspired by a song, 'South Dakota Is the Sunshine State', the designers chose a blue field with a yellow sun surrounded by the name South Dakota and the motto "The Sunshine State." On the other side was the state seal. A two-sided flag became too expensive to produce in large quantities, so in 1963 legislation was passed that added the seal to the center of the sun and made the design the same on both sides. Legislation enacted in 1992 changed the official state nickname to the Mount Rushmore State, and the flag design was altered to reflect the change. Flags made before July 1, 1992, however, remained legal.
Olivier Touzeau, 25 August 2001
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South Dakota (SD) State Flag