Let’s play a game: one of these things is not like the other. Can you spot the differences?

The most popular versions of the SC state flag | Image via @PickSCFlag

If you said the palmetto tree + crescent shape in these designs don’t look the same, you’re spot on. So, why do the iconic symbols all look slightly different? The contrasting designs in SC-paraphernalia occur because, for the last 80 years, there has been no official design for the South Carolina state flag.

While the historically relevant palmetto tree, crescent shape + indigo blue background are always featured on variations of the flag, there are components that have not been nailed down. Until now, there have been no regulations on specifics such as shapes, dimensions + shades.

In 2018, the state of South Carolina created the South Carolina State Flag Study Committee that was tasked with “proposing an official, uniform design for the state flag based on historically accurate details and legislative adoptions.”

According to a report from The Post and Courier, the designated team of historians have proposed a final, official design.

South Carolina State Flag Study Committee’s recommended design of the official South Carolina state flag | Image via SCSFSC’s final report

Aiming for the flag to resemble its earliest editions, the team utilized archaeologists + museums to gather images and artifacts that dated back to the Revolutionary War. The official shade of indigo, Pantone 282 C, and the official shape of the crescent are derived from a regimental flag from Col. William Moultrie’s 2nd South Carolina Regiment.

The proposal is set to be voted on when the General Assembly reconvenes in January. See the full proposed amendment here and the Report of the South Carolina State Flag Study here.

Find a more in-depth look at the design elements and the history behind them here.

Quiz

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