The first flag representing the territory of the present-day nation was created in the late 1950s, at which time Antigua and Barbuda were reorganized into a province of the West Indies Federation.

[4] The Blue Ensign defaced with the local coat of arms is the common design on colonial flags throughout the British Empire, adopted by all the other provinces of the West Indies Federation.

The original flag design included a white circle behind the coat of arms, but this element disappeared over time.

This was 11 days after the Royal assent to the West Indies Act 1967, which changed the status of the islands from British colonies to states in free association with the United Kingdom.

The flag adopted at that time was the design of Sir Reginald Samuel, which had won a public competition.