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Ratification of the 19th Amendment

Thirty-six of the 48 states were needed to ratify the amendment to the U.S. Constitution before it could become law. Oregon became the 25th state to ratify on January 12, 1920. Finally, on August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify. Since the amendment’s adoption, twelve states have symbolically voted for ratification.

Illinois flag has eagle holding a banner in its beak with the state motto written on it: State Sovereignty, National Union. The eagle is perched on a rock with an American shield and olive branches below. A lake is in the background with the sun on the horizon.

June 10, 1919—Illinois

Michigan flag has moose and elk standing around shield and an eagle with a branch in its talons.

June 10, 1919—Michigan

Wisconsin flag has state coat of arms on both sides against blue background.

June 10, 1919—Wisconsin

Kansas flag has the Kansas state seal on a dark blue background. Above the seal is the state crest; a sunflower resting on a twisted blue and gold bar.

June 16, 1919—Kansas

New York flag has shield in center with a masted ship and a sloop on the Hudson River bordered by a grassy shore and mountains in back with sun rising. A banner below has Excelsior written on it.

June 16, 1919—New York

Ohio flag has unique swallowtail design called a burgee. The pole side has a blue triangular shape containing 17 white stars surrounding a red and white circle. Red and white stripes extend horizontally from the triangle.

June 16, 1919—Ohio

Pennsylvania flag has the state coat of arms on a blue background.

June 24, 1919—Pennsylvania

Massachusetts flag has a blue shield with a Native American dressed in a shirt and moccasins. His right hand holds a bow. His left hand clasps an arrow pointing downward. A silver star with five points sits above his right arm. A crest above consists of a braid of blue and gold, with a right arm grasping a broadsword.

June 25, 1919—Massachusetts

Texas flag has a dark blue vertical stripe at the pole side with a white star. Extending horizontally from the dark blue are 2 equal stripes in red and white.

June 28, 1919—Texas

Iowa flag has 3 vertical stripes in blue, white and red. On the white center an eagle carries streamers in its beak with the state motto.

July 2, 1919—Iowa

Missouri flag has 3 horizontal stripes in red, white and blue. The center displays the state seal surrounded by 24 stars.

July 3, 1919—Missouri

Arkansas flag has a white diamond with a wide blue outline on a red background. The blue outline contains 25 white stars. The white center has the state name and 4 blue stars.

July 28, 1919—Arkansas

Montana flag has the state seal showing a sunrise over snowy mountains, waterfalls, a river, mountains, hills, trees and cliffs. A pick, shovel and plow rest on the ground.

August, 1919—Montana

Nebraska flag has the state seal on a dark blue background.

August, 1919—Nebraska

Minnesota flag has the state seal on a royal blue background. Three dates are woven in a wreath surrounding the seal: 1858, 1819, and 1893.

September 8, 1919—Minnesota

New Hampshire flag has the state seal with the frigate Raleigh surrounded by laurel leaves and 9 stars on a blue background.

September 10, 1919—New Hampshire

Utah flag has the state seal on a blue background. A bald eagle perches atop a shield and clutching arrows. A beehive with lilies on right and left is in the center above the year 1847 and 1896.

September 30, 1919—Utah

California flag has a grizzly bear walking on green grass, a red star in the upper left, and a red stripe below the bear. California Republic is written between them.

November 1, 1919—California

Maine flag has the state’s coat-of-arms on a blue background. The North star shines above the motto: Dirigo

November 5, 1919—Maine

North Dakota flag features a bald eagle holding an olive branch and a bundle of arrows. The eagle carries a ribbon in its beak with the words: E Pluribus Unum

December 1, 1919—North Dakota

South Dakota flag has the state seal on a blazing sun in the center against a blue background. South Dakota is written above the seal; The Mount Rushmore State written below.

December 5, 1919—South Dakota

Colorado flag has 3 horizontal stripes. The top and bottom are dark blue and the center is white. In the center is a semi-circular C in red. In the opening of the letter C there is a gold disc.

December 15, 1919—Colorado

Kentucky flag has the state seal in the center with the state motto: United we Stand, Divided We Fall.

January 6, 1920—Kentucky

Rhode Island flag is white with a gold anchor in the center. Underneath is a blue ribbon with the state motto of Hope in gold letters. This is all surrounded by 13 gold stars in a circle.

January 6, 1920—Rhode Island

Oregon flag has the state seal in gold with State of Oregon written over top and the year 1859 below. The background is blue.

January 12, 1920—Oregon

Indiana flag has a gold torch with 6 rays extending outward. 18 gold stars surround the torch. The background is blue.

January 16, 1920—Indiana

Wyoming flag has the state seal on the shape of a bison. The background is blue with a red and white boarder.

January 26, 1920—Wyoming

Nevada flag has a cobalt blue background. In the upper left corner is a silver star between 2 sprays of sagebrush that cross to form a half-wreath. Across the top is a gold scroll with the words: Battle Born

February 7, 1920—Nevada

New Jersey flag has 3 bows on a shield with a helmet above. A crest above is a horse's head. 2 female figures to the left and right are Liberty and Ceres.

February 9, 1920—New Jersey

Idaho flag is dark blue with the state seal in the center. Under the seal is written: State of Idaho

February 11, 1920—Idaho

Arizona flag has a copper star in the center with 13 gold and red beams or rays extending up and out. The bottom half of the flag background is blue.

February 12, 1920—Arizona

New Mexico flag has a center design of the ancient Zia sun symbol in red. The background is yellow.

February 16, 1920—New Mexico

Oklahoma flag has sky blue background with circular rawhide shield of American Indian Warrior, decorated with 6 painted crosses. The lower half of the shield is fringes with 7 pendant eagle feathers. A peace pipe crosses with an olive branch.

February 23, 1920—Oklahoma

West Virginia flag has the state motto, a wreath of rhododendron, and the state coat-of-arms on a white background. The flag has a dark blue boarder.

March 10, 1920—West Virginia

Washington flag has a picture of George Washington in the center. Written around are the words: The Seal of the State of Washington 1889. The background is green.

March 22, 1920—Washington

Tennessee flag has 3 white stars in the center on a dark blue circle with a white outline. The rest of the flag is red except a strip of dark blue with white outline on one edge.

August 18, 1920—Tennessee

Connecticut flag has a ribbon with the state motto and the state seal which shows 3 grape vines supported and bearing fruit. The background is blue.

September 14, 1920—Connecticut

Vermont flag has the state coat-of-arms in the center featuring a green landscape with mountains in the back. A pine tree is in the center, with a red cow on the side of the field. The background is blue.

February 8, 1921—Vermont

Delaware flag has the state coat-of-arms inside a diamond. Below is the date December 7, 1787. The background is colonial blue.

March 6, 1923—Delaware

Maryland flag has the arms of the Calvert and Crossland families. The colors of gold and black appear in the 1st and 4th quarters of the flag in a checker board pattern.

March 29, 1941—Maryland

Virginia flag has the state’s coat-of-arms on a white circle. It features Virtus, the genius of the commonwealth, dressed like an Amazon, resting on a spear with one hand, and holding a sword in the other.

February 21, 1952—Virginia

Alabama flag is a crimson cross on a white background.

September 8, 1953—Alabama

Florida flag is the state seal centered on a red cross on a white background.

May 13, 1969—Florida

South Carolina flag has the state tree, sabal palmetto, in the center. In the top left corner is a crescent moon. The background is dark blue.

July 1, 1969—South Carolina

Georgia flag has 3 horizontal bars of equal width, 2 outer red bars and a white in the center. The left top corner has a blue square with the state’s coat-of-arms in the center.

February 20, 1970—Georgia

Louisiana flag displays a white pelican nurturing its young. A white banner below contains the state motto.

June 11, 1970—Louisiana

North Carolina flag has a vertical blue rectangle on the pole side. Extending horizontally from there are 2 equal stripes of red and white. On the blue rectangle is a white star with the letter N on the left and the letter C on the right.

May 6, 1971—North Carolina

Mississippi flag consists of a white magnolia blossom surrounded by 21 stars and the words In God We Trust written below, all put over a blue Canadian pale with two vertical gold borders on a red field.

March 22, 1984—Mississippi

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