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Iowa was never in a hurry to adopt a state banner as they felt that there was no need; a national banner appropriately represented all of the United States. And so it was not until 1921, almost seventy-five years after the admission of Iowa into the Union, that a state banner was finally adopted by the Legislature.
The impetus for final adoption of an official state banner originated with Iowa National Guardsmen stationed along the Mexican border during World War I. The Guardsmen saw that units from other states carried official banners and the Iowans felt that they needed the same to identify their origins. This prompted the Daughters of the American Revolution into action.
Designed by Mrs. Dixie Cornell Gebhadt, the banner consists of three vertical stripes of blue, white and red. Gehardt explained the meaning of the colors. As well as a reference to the colors of the United States, the color blue stands for loyalty, justice and truth; the white stands for purity; and the red for courage.?
An eagle is displayed on the white center stripe of the flag. The eagle carries in its beak blue streamers with the state motto, "Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain", inscribed on it in white letters. The state name "IOWA" is printed in red letters below the eagle.
If you want more information on the State Flags of the United States, you might want to check out How Proudly They Wave: Flags of the Fifty States by Rita D. Haban. This book is geared toward kids... and for adults like me who want to know about the history and design significance of the flags of all fifty states but can't find this information in an expensive encyclopedia.
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Official State Flag of Iowa