Year Adopted: 1966, revised 1992 (prior existing flags remain official)

The flag emblem for South Dakota contains the black & white version of the seal, surrounded by the gold serrated sun and lettering as described below.

The state flag or banner shall consist of a sky-blue one and two-thirds long as it is wide. Centered on such a 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. (ref; state.sd.us, History South Dakota flags)

South Dakota was acquired by the United States with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, explored by the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806, and renamed the Missouri Territory in 1812. South Dakota was part of the organized Dakota Territory in 1861. The Enabling Act of 1889 caused the Dakota Territory to be divided in half and proposed statehood for North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington. South Dakota was admitted as the 40th state in 1889.