he flag was designed by Colonel LeRoy Reeves of the Tennessee National Guard. The Tennessee State Legislature officially adopted the flag on April 17, 1905. The flag was first raised on October 10, 1911, during the dedication ceremonies for East Tennessee State Normal School in Johnson City. The central emblem portion of the flag appears in the logos of some Tennessee-based companies and sports teams. Examples include the First Tennessee Bank and the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League.

In a 2001 poll conducted by the North American Vexillological Association, the flag of Tennessee was ranked 14th in a list of 72 flags of North America, including all the state and provincial flags of the U.S. and Canada