9/11 Remembrance “Freedom Flag” Becomes Official Oklahoma Commemorative Flag for Sept. 11, 2001

Members of the Freedom Flag Foundation joined state legislators (Rep. Daniel Pae, Sen. David Rader, and Sen. Blake "Cowboy" Stephens), teacher Betty Collins and her husband, and Governor J. Kevin Stitt for a ceremonial bill signing of Senate Bill 1466 (SB1466), which adds the 9/11 Remembrance Freedom Flag to Oklahoma's State Code {21 O.S. 2021, §375, §93.3 Tit. 25}. The bill authorizes the 9/11 Remembrance “Freedom Flag” to be flown on flagpoles throughout the state in remembrance of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and the plane crash victims of United Airlines Flight 93. 

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On 9 August 2022, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill No. 1466 (SB1466) into law. SB1466 was enacted by the Governor on May 16, 2022, authorizing the 9/11 Remembrance “Freedom Flag” to be flown on flagpoles throughout the state in remembrance of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and the plane crash victims of United Airlines Flight 93. SB1466 was sponsored by State Senators David Rader and Blake Stephens and by State Representatives Daniel Pae and Melissa Provenzano. The addition of the 9/11 Remembrance “Freedom Flag” to Oklahoma’s state code allows the flag to be flown in commemoration of the events of that fateful day in American history (21 O.S. 2021, §375, §93.3 Tit. 25).

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The events of September 11, 2001 constituted the deadliest attack on US soil in over 150 years and the deadliest terrorist attack in world history. 2,977 lives were lost in New York City, at the Pentagon (Arlington, VA) and on Flight 93 (near Shanksville, PA), including 7 Oklahomans and citizens from 90 foreign nations. Since 9/11, thousands of first responders have perished from 9/11-related illnesses and thousands more US soldiers have made the supreme sacrifice during the global war on terror. The 10 symbolic elements of the 9/11 Freedom Flag were created to honor those who perished, the survivors, the heroic first responders and military, and also to educate future generations about the fateful events of that day. Since 9/11, over 80 million children have been born in the United States – including 1 million Oklahomans – meaning nearly 25% of our population have no living memory of the events.