The Illinois flag is a representation of the Great Seal of Illinois against a white background. In 1969, the Illinois General Assembly voted to add the word “ILLINOIS” under the Great Seal of the flag. The State’s name was added to the flag to ensure that people not familiar with the Great Seal of Illinois would still recognize the banner as the state’s flag.

For more history about the evolution of the Illinois state flag, you can go to the Illinois State Museum website:  http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/symbols/flag.html