From 1925 to 1927, Kansas used a state banner instead of a flag. The Kansas state banner, which consisted of a large sunflower and the word “Kansas” on a blue field, was intended to be hung from a horizontal bar, rather than a vertical flag pole. It was given a unique design to avoid “competition” with the United States flag. However, after the banner was rejected for display in Washington, D.C., and generated complaints for its awkward method of hanging, the state legislature adopted a state flag that saw the addition of the word “Kansas” at the bottom in 1961 but has otherwise retained its original design.
State Nickname:
The official nickname for Kansas is “The Sunflower State.”
The sunflower is also the official state flower of Kansas and appears on the state flag and the Kansas quarter.