Flag of Hawaii (State of Hawaii) The flag was designed around 1816 during the reign of King Kamehameha I, who wanted a flag that reflected both his friendship with Great Britain and his independence. • Originally, Hawaii was an independent kingdom, and this flag was retained when it later became a republic (1894), then a U.S. territory (1898), and finally the 50th state of the United States (1959). The Hawaiian flag is the only U.S. state flag to feature the British Union Jack. • Residents of Hawaii also often use the flag to express Hawaiian identity and pride, outside of the American context.