Dist. of Columbia

The flag of Washington, D.C. consists of three red stars above two red bars on a white background. It is based on the design of the coat of arms of the family of George Washington. For heraldic reasons, the stars are properly called mullets.
For over a century, the District of Columbia was without an official flag and flew several unofficial banners—usually the flag of the D.C. National Guard. In 1938, Congress established a commission to choose an official, original design. The commission held a public competition, and picked the submission of graphic designer Charles A.R. Dunn, who had first proposed his design in 1921.