The Mississippi Senate on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, honored Rocky Vaughan of Ackerman with Senate Resolution 65 for his contributions in designing the new Mississippi State Flag.
The resolution outlines Vaughan’s life from his beginnings in Eupora to his family moving to Ackerman, his degree in graphic design and his work with Dawg Pound Printing and Southern Belle before taking a job with Coastal Waters Supply Company as the lead designer.
The resolution goes on to state: “In 2013, inspired by a news story regarding the history of the Mississippi flag, Rocky became determined to create a less controversial state flag. This early inspiration set in motion the process for Rocky to submit a flag design when Governor Tate Reeves created a flag commission in June 2020. On November 3, 2020, the voters of Mississippi overwhelmingly voted in favor of Rocky's design as the new flag for the State of Mississippi. Under House Bill No. 1 (2021 Regular Session) the Legislature ratified the new design as the official flag of the State of Mississippi on January 6, 2021, and the bill was approved by the Governor on January 11, 2021.”
It continues ”…the flag features the State Flower, a Magnolia Blossom, in the center of a dark blue stripe surrounded by gold and red vertical stripes. The magnolia sits in the middle of a 39 circle of 20 white stars with a gold star at the top that represents the Native American tribes who lived in Mississippi….This early inspiration set in motion the process for Rocky to submit a flag design when Governor Tate Reeves created a flag commission in June 2020. On November 3, 2020, the voters of Mississippi overwhelmingly voted in favor of Rocky's design as the new flag for the State of Mississippi. Under House Bill No. 1 (2021 Regular Session) the Legislature ratified the new design as the official flag of the State of Mississippi on January 6, 2021, and the bill was approved by the Governor on January 11, 2021.
For Vaughan, it’s still surreal to him that he’s still being recognized four years later.
“It felt good to be honored four years later, after everything had died down, to finally be honored all I could do is smile,” he said.
Vaughan said in total there were about 20 of his designs submitted, so he knew that it was ordained by God for his design to be chosen and he wanted to design something that encompassed all Mississippians.
He said he was on his second set of four designs, but didn’t submit them after the passing of his mom. And, he didn’t submit them.
But, he learned that people had submitted the designs he had made over the years.
“I had been doing designs for about 10 years or so. And people submitted them on my behalf. So, I had two of my designs in the top three, it was very telling for me,” Vaughan said.
He said he’s friends with all demographics, all races from the youngest to the oldest so there wasn’t any pushback, there was moreso encouragement that he should submit his designs.
Vaughan said designers were able to see flags from other states in the union and compare them, why this one was pretty, why this one wasn’t, why this one worked, why this one didn’t. And, he wanted to design something that stood out.
“I wanted it to have special elements,” he said.
Vaughan said driving in Ackerman and seeing the flag flying high – his design flying high in his hometown – is a full circle moment for him.
“It means alot, especially the people that know me, my family, who knew that special little kid who could draw anything. It means a lot to me, to our area, our county and our town.
Vaughan said if you have a dream, go after it with everything you have.
“If you feel there’s something so deeply, that you are called to do it, that you are chosen and God wants to use your special gifts, go after it. There will be negative feedback, but don’t let that get you down, haters are gonna hate, let them.”
Vaughan said he wanted to be the person to design the flag, to add his two cents.
“I didn’t want something that didn’t represent all of us, I wanted to input my opinion and my vision, so to speak,” he said.
Vaughan said he was very thankful to those who helped to recognize him and he doesn’t do it for the recognition.
“I want to thank Randy Loper, Representative Joey Hood, and Senator Bart Williams,” he said.
