The Secret History Behind Senegal's Flag
Senegal's flag has a green star because a human figure had to go.
In 1959 Senegal joined the Sudanese Republic, now Mali, in the Mali Federation. The federation's flag was a vertical tricolor of green, yellow and red with a black human figure, the kanaga, in the center. When the federation fell apart in 1960, Senegal kept the three colors and replaced the figure with a green star.
The colors are the Pan-African colors: green for the vegetation of the country and for the Muslim religion, yellow for sunshine, the arts and welfare, and red for the blood shed in the struggle for independence. The green star stands for unity and hope.
The date printed on every Senegal design in our catalog, April 4, 1960, is the day Senegal celebrates as its Independence Day.
A figure became a star, and the colors stayed.
Looking for a gift with a story? See our heritage gift guide, or read the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Stories page.