Who designed the Earth Day flag?

John McConnell designed the Earth Day flag.

McConnell was a peace activist and environmental advocate who promoted a global day honoring Earth and encouraging peace. In 1969, he proposed an Earth celebration at a UNESCO conference in San Francisco and created the Earth Flag associated with that vision. His design placed an image of the planet against a dark blue field.

The flag’s Earth image became especially recognizable through NASA photography. Early versions used a photograph taken during the Apollo 10 mission in 1969; later versions incorporated the famous “Blue Marble” image photographed by the Apollo 17 crew on December 7, 1972. The flag has been used at Earth Day events and remains an unofficial symbol rather than an internationally adopted national flag.

McConnell is often confused with Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes, who played central roles in organizing the U.S. Earth Day held on April 22, 1970. Their roles were different: Nelson initiated the nationwide teach-in concept, Hayes coordinated the 1970 effort, and McConnell designed the Earth Day flag and promoted the spring-equinox observance.