APRIL 6, 2026 — A Maryland legislator has introduced a constitutional amendment to permanently protect the state’s 122-year-old flag design following public friction over its historical origins, reports Fox Baltimore.
Senator J.B. Jennings (R) filed the bill on March 9, the anniversary of the flag’s 1904 adoption, specifically to prevent future administrative or legislative efforts to alter the banner.
The move was prompted by recent comments from Governor Wes Moore, who characterized the flag as a “contradiction” during a January podcast appearance. Moore, Maryland’s first Black governor, noted that the design integrates symbols associated with opposing sides of the American Civil War.
“Our flag is literally a Confederate symbol mixed with a Union symbol,” Moore stated.
While the flag’s patterns are derived from the 17th-century heraldic shield of the Calvert family, historical narratives suggest that during the Civil War, Union supporters identified with the yellow-and-black Calvert arms, while Confederate sympathizers adopted the red-and-white Crossland colors. The post-war combination of these quadrants is often interpreted by the state government as a gesture of reconciliation.
Despite Moore’s later clarification that he views the flag’s complexity as a “source of strength” and has no plans to change it, Jennings expressed skepticism regarding the long-term security of the design.
“I don’t want anybody to change our flag,” Jennings said.
The proposed amendment arrives during a period of shifting vexillological standards across the United States. While states such as Utah, Minnesota, and Mississippi have recently adopted new designs to move away from controversial historical imagery, the Maryland flag remains a point of intense local pride.
A February poll conducted by the Baltimore Sun indicated that over 96 per cent of respondents opposed any modifications to the current banner, according to Maryland Matters.
If Jennings’ bill successfully passes the General Assembly and receives the governor’s signature, the matter will be settled by voters as a referendum on the November ballot.
