View source for Flag of New Mexico

{{short description|U.S. state flag}}

{{use American English|date=April 2024}}{{use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{infobox flag
 | Adoption    = {{start date and age|1925|3|19}}
 | Design      = The [[Gules|red]] and [[Or (heraldry)|gold (yellow)]] of old [[Flag of Spain|Spain]]. The ancient [[Zia sun symbol]] in red on a field of yellow.
 | Designer    = Reba Mera<ref name="United States' 1970 p. 174">''The Flag Book of the United States'' by Whitney Smith (1970), p. 174.</ref><ref name="NMSS">{{cite web
| access-date  = 27 August 2022
| title        = State Flag
| url          = https://sos.state.nm.us/about-new-mexico/state-flag
| website      = New Mexico Secretary of State}}</ref>
 | Image       = Flag of New Mexico.svg
 | Name        = State of New Mexico
 | Nickname    = Zia Banner
 | Proportion  = 2:3
 | Symbol      = {{FIAV|110000}}{{FIAV|normal}}{{FIAV|Equal}}
 | Use         = 110000
}}

The '''flag of the U.S. state of New Mexico<!--Lack of link is intentional; see [[MOS:BOLDLINK]]-->'''{{DEFAULTSORT:New Mexico, Flag of}}, also referred to as the '''New Mexican flag''' and '''Zia Banner''', is a [[state flag]], consisting of a sacred [[Gules|red]] sun symbol of the [[Zia people (New Mexico)|Zia tribe]] on a field of [[Or (heraldry)|gold (yellow)]]. It was officially adopted on March 19, 1925 to highlight [[New Mexico|the state]]'s [[Indigenous peoples|Indigenous]] and [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispanic]] heritage: it combines a symbol of the [[Puebloans|Puebloan people]], who have ancient roots in the state, with the colors of the [[flags of Spain]], whose empire had established and ruled over “{{lang|es|[[Santa Fe de Nuevo México|Nuevo México]]}}” for over two and a half centuries.<ref>{{cite book
 | access-date = March 13, 2025
 | author      = New Mexico
 | chapter     = Chapter 116, An Act Providing for a Flag for the State of New Mexico, H.B. No. 164, Approved March 19, 1925
 | location    = Santa Fe
 | page        = 223
 | publisher   = New Mexico Secretary of State
 | title       = Laws of the State of New Mexico Passed by the Seventh Regular Session of the Legislature of the State of New Mexico
 | url         = https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.a0001906890?urlappend=%3Bseq=253%3Bownerid=113469661-257
 | year        = 1925
}}</ref>

The New Mexico flag is among the more distinctive and iconic in the U.S.,<ref name="NAVA-2001-06-10" /> and has been noted for its simple and aesthetically pleasing design.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia
 | access-date  = 2022-12-02
 | encyclopedia = [[Encyclopedia Britannica]]
 | language     = en
 | title        = flag of New Mexico {{!}} United States state flag {{!}} Britannica
 | url          = https://britannica.com/topic/flag-of-New-Mexico
}}</ref> It is one of four [[Flags of the U.S. states|U.S. state flags]] without the color blue (along with [[Flag of Alabama|Alabama]], [[Flag of California|California]], and [[Flag of Maryland|Maryland]]) and the only one among the four without the color white.<ref>{{cite web
 | access-date = 2021-01-11
 | language    = en
 | title       = List of US state flags and territories
 | url         = https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_US_state_flags_and_territories
 | website     = [[Ballotpedia]]
}}</ref>{{efn|The [[Flag of Washington, D.C.|flag of the District of Columbia]] also has no blue, although it is partially white, making the New Mexico flag the only U.S. flag without blue or white.}} New Mexico is one of only two U.S states (along with [[Flag of Oklahoma|Oklahoma]]) that depicts indigenous iconography in its flag.{{efn|The [[Flag of Massachusetts|Massachusetts]] and [[Flag of Florida|Florida]] flags contain state seals depicting Native people.}}

== Statute ==

[[file:Flag of the Tercios Morados Viejos.svg|thumb|Flag of the Neomexicano Tercios Morados Viejos division (old murrey or purpure) during [[New Spain]].{{FIAV|historical}}]]

The 2024 New Mexico Statutes, Chapter 12, Article 3, § 12-3-2 defines the state flag as follows:
{{blockquote|text=the ancient Zia sun symbol of red in the center of a field of yellow. The colors shall be the red and yellow of old Spain. The proportion of the flag shall be a width of two-thirds its length. The sun symbol shall be one-third of the length of the flag. Said symbol shall have four groups of rays set at right angles; each group shall consist of four rays, the two inner rays of the group shall be one-fifth longer than the outer rays of the group. The diameter of the circle in the center of the symbol shall be one-third of the width of the symbol.<ref name="NMS1232">{{cite web |title=New Mexico Statutes § 12-3-2 (2024) – Adoption of flag for state of New Mexico |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/new-mexico/2024/chapter-12/article-3/section-12-3-2/ |website=Justia |access-date=2025-02-14}}</ref>
}}

== Symbolism ==

The Zia sun symbol has sacred meaning to the indigenous [[Zia people (New Mexico)|Zia people]]. Four is a sacred number symbolizing the Circle of Life: the four directions, the four times of day, the four stages of life, and the four seasons; the circle binds these four elements of four together. It has since become representative of the broader Puebloan, Hispano, and Native-led New Mexican culture.<ref>{{cite web | title=Research Guides: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Library & Archives: Counter-Narrative Series | website=Research Guides at University of New Mexico | date=March 14, 2018 | url=https://libguides.unm.edu/ipcc/CounternarrativeSeries | access-date=July 4, 2025}}</ref> 

== History ==
=== The "''Twitchell flag''" (1915) ===

[[file:flag_of_New_Mexico_(1915).png|thumb|left|Original flag  used in the 1915 San Diego World's Fair{{FIAV|historical}}]]
[[file:flag of New Mexico (National Geographic, 1917).jpg|thumb|The Twitchell flag as it appeared in National Geographic, 1917{{FIAV|historical}}]]
[[file:flag of New Mexico (1912-1925).svg|thumb|Reconstruction of the Twitchell flag{{FIAV|historical}}]]

During its first thirteen years as a state, New Mexico did not have an official flag.{{Citation needed|reason=In this article, the Twitchell flag has been referred to as "the first flag". Was it legally the state flag or not? A source is needed for this.|date=December 2025}} 

The [[Panama-California Exposition (1915)|San Diego World's Fair of 1915]], which occurred three years after New Mexico's [[Admission to the Union|admission to the union]], featured an exhibit hall where all U.S. state flags were displayed. Lacking an official flag, [[Ralph Emerson Twitchell]], the mayor of [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], was authorized to design the first state flag of New Mexico to be displayed.<ref>{{cite web|title=About New Mexico|url=https://www.sos.nm.gov/about-new-mexico/state-flag/|publisher=New Mexico Secretary of State|access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref><ref name="nathanson">{{Cite web |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/361879nm06-14-05.htm |title=New Mexico Flag Hasn't Always Had a Zia Symbol; Earliest Version Boasted Quartz Crystals |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304203233/https://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/361879nm06-14-05.htm |archive-date=2021-03-04 |first=Rick |last=Nathanson}}</ref><ref name="ABQJ">{{cite news |last1=Nathanson |first1=Rick |title=Banner History |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/324325677 |access-date=11 January 2023 |publisher=Albuquerque Journal |date=June 14, 2005|id={{ProQuest|324325677}} }}</ref> When the flag law was passed, the flag attached to the bill was ordered to be placed with the Secretary of State, to be properly preserved in the state archives.<ref name="NGM1917">{{cite book| title = The National Geographic Magazine| volume = 32| year = 1917| pages = 340| url = https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101077278073&seq=366| publisher = National Geographic Society}}</ref>{{efn|The 1917 article contains numerous fictional or assumed designs for states that had not yet adopted flags. NatGeo's artist and writer filled in missing data to create a "complete" set of designs for the article. In the text, New Mexico is also referred to as "the Commonwealth", which may be sign that NatGeo reused language written originally for Kentucky, Pennsylvania, or other states that are commonwealths.}}

Known as the "Twitchell flag", its design consisted of a turquoise or turqoiuse blue field, emblematic of the state's blue skies; the [[Flag of the United States|U.S. flag]] in the upper left corner, "designating the loyalty of the people of the state to the Union"; diagonally across the field, stretching from the lower left to the upper right, are the words "New Mexico" in white or silver lettering; the number "47" in the upper right corner, in reference to New Mexico being the 47th state to enter the union; and the [[Seal of New Mexico|state seal]] (sometimes in red)<ref>[https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn88084272/1915-03-25/ed-1/?sp=1&q=state+flag&r=0.175,0.241,0.857,0.36,0 El Paso herald, March 25, 1915]</ref> in the lower right corner, which in some historical references is wrapped with the words "The Sunshine State".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/us-nmx17.html|title=Early New Mexico Flag (U.S.)|website=www.fotw.info}}</ref><ref name="NGM1917"/>

As of 2005, the only known Twitchell flag in existence was displayed at the [[Palace of the Governors]] in Santa Fe.
{{clear}}

=== Current flag (1925–present) ===

[[file:flags flying, U.S. and New Mexico, February 2014.jpg|thumb|U.S. and New Mexican flags flying near [[Deming, New Mexico|Deming]], February 2014.]]
[[file:New Mexico Bicentennial 13c 1976 issue.jpg|thumb|The New Mexico state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series.]]

In 1920, the New Mexico chapter of the [[Daughters of the American Revolution]] (DAR) called for the creation of an official flag that would reflect the state's unique heritage and culture.<ref name="sos.state.nm.us">{{Cite web |title=State Flag {{!}} Maggie Toulouse Oliver - New Mexico Secretary of State |url=https://www.sos.state.nm.us/about-new-mexico/state-flag/ |access-date=2022-12-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> A statewide contest was held in 1923 to solicit new designs.<ref name="ABQJ" /> Eventually, a design made by Harry Mera of [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] and sewn by his wife Reba Mera was selected. In 1925, Governor [[Arthur T. Hannett]] signed legislation proclaiming the Mera design the official state flag, which remains in use and unchanged to this day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-nm.html|title=New Mexico (U.S.)|website=www.crwflags.com}}</ref><ref name="NMSS" />

Mera was a physician and archaeologist who became familiar with the Zia sun symbol, which he encountered on a piece of pottery originating from Zia Pueblo. This pottery, believed to date from before 1890 and associated with the Zia Fire Society, had made its way into private collections during a period when early ethnographers were conducting intensive fieldwork in the region. 

The symbol was used without consulting the Zia people,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012 |title=Zia's Symbol, New Mexico's Flag |url=https://www.elpalacio.org/2012/03/zias-symbol-new-mexicos-flag/ |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=El Palacio}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harlow |first=Olivia |date=2019-03-03 |title=How a sacred emblem became New Mexico's state symbol |url=https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/how-a-sacred-emblem-became-new-mexicos-state-symbol/ |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=Durango Herald |language=en-US}}</ref> and they have fought to prevent it from being used without their permission, including via attempting to copyright it, during and after its adoption as a symbol of the state, and due to concerns over desecration of the symbol.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-11 |title=Indigenous Knowledge Misappropriation: The Case Of The Zia Sun Symbol Explained At WIPO |url=https://www.ip-watch.org/2018/12/11/indigenous-knowledge-misappropriation-case-zia-sun-symbol-explained-wipo/ |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=Intellectual Property Watch |language=en-US}}</ref> A 2012 joint memorial by the state and the Zia people later acknowledged the state had appropriated the image without permission.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Montoya |first=Stephen |date=2018-12-27 |title=Using the Zia symbol - with permission |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1261905/using-the-zia-symbol-with-permission.html |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=Albuquerque Journal}}</ref> 

Although the Zia Pueblo does not hold a trademark on the symbol, the state of New Mexico supports respectful use by guiding individuals and organizations to Zia Pueblo and the [[Indian Pueblo Cultural Center]] in Albuquerque, offering information encouraging honoring the symbol's origins and meaning.<ref>{{cite web | title=Revisiting Ours | website=Indian Pueblo Cultural Center | date=June 16, 2020 | url=https://indianpueblo.org/revisiting-ours-the-zia-sun/ | access-date=July 4, 2025}}</ref>

The New Mexico flag was rated first in a 2001 survey of 72 U.S. and Canadian flags by the [[North American Vexillological Association]].<ref name="NAVA-2001-06-10">{{cite web|url=https://nava.org/digital-library/design/surveys/2001-State-Provincial-Flag-Survey.pdf|title=2001 State/Provincial Flag Survey|author=Edward B. Kaye|date=10 June 2001 |publisher=North American Vexillological Association}}</ref><ref name="Raven-v8-2001-11p38">{{cite journal|author=Edward B. Kaye|year=2001|title=Good Flag, Bad Flag, and the Great NAVA Flag Survey of 2001|journal=Raven: A Journal of Vexillology|volume=8|pages=11–38|doi=10.5840/raven200182}}</ref> The flag has always been free for civil and state use, and it is completely in the [[public domain in the United States|public domain]] as of January 1, 2021.

The flag is worn on uniforms by sailors aboard the submarine {{USS|New Mexico|SSN-779}}.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPAWKKsWtps | title=Fast-attack Submarine USS New Mexico (SSN 779) Virtual Tour | website=[[YouTube]] | date=November 8, 2020 }}</ref>
{{clear}}

== Pledge{{anchor|Pledge to the flag of New Mexico}} ==

The pledge to the state flag is available in English and Spanish:
{{blockquote|I salute the flag of the state of New Mexico, the Zia symbol of perfect friendship among united cultures.|New Mexico Statutes and Court Rules, [https://www.nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa/en/item/4374/index.do Section 12-3-3]<ref>{{citation |work=New Mexico Statutes and Court Rules |publisher=State of New Mexico |title=Section 12-3-3 }}</ref>}}

{{blockquote|{{lang|es|Saludo la bandera del estado de Nuevo México, el símbolo zía de amistad perfecta, entre culturas unidas.}}|New Mexico Statutes and Court Rules, Section 12-3-7<ref>{{citation |work=New Mexico Statutes and Court Rules |publisher=State of New Mexico |title=Section 12-3-7 }}</ref>}}

The salutation, "I salute the flag of the State of New Mexico and the Zia symbol of perfect friendship among united cultures",<ref name="United States' 1970 p. 174"/> is commonly recited in New Mexico public schools after the [[Pledge of Allegiance|United States pledge of allegiance]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

== See also ==

* [[Seal of New Mexico|Great Seal of the State of New Mexico]]
* [[Flag of the Navajo Nation]]

== Notes ==

{{notelist}}

== References ==

{{reflist|1}}

== External links ==

{{commons category|Flags of New Mexico}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090325113039/http://www.sos.state.nm.us/BlueBook2008/StateSymbols.pdf New Mexico state symbols]

{{US state flags}}{{New Mexico}}

[[category:1925 establishments in New Mexico|Flag]]
[[category:flags introduced in 1925]]
[[category:flags with circles]]
[[category:flags with rectangular symmetry]]
[[category:red and yellow flags]]
[[category:symbols of New Mexico|Flag]]
[[category:United States state flags]]
[[category:Zia symbol]]