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EmailHere's what Congress advised for the use of the U.S. flag in a joint resolution dated June 22, 1942.
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The flag of the United States is the emblem of our identity as a separate nation, which the United States of America has been for more than 200 years. Therefore, citizens should stand at attention and salute when their flag is passing in a parade or being hoisted or lowered.
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The custom is to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on flagstaffs in the open, but it may be displayed at night upon special occasions to produce a patriotic effect.
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When the flag is hung vertically on a wall, window or door the Union (blue) should be to the observer's left. When the flag is hung either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the Union (blue field) should be to the observer's left.
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The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.
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It should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement.
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It should be displayed, weather permitting, on all holidays: New Year's Day; Inauguration Day; Lincoln's Birthday; Washington's Birthday; Armed Forces Day; Easter Sunday; Mother's Day; Memorial Day (half-staff until noon); Flag Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Constitution Day; Columbus Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; and state holidays and admission days.
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It should be displayed at every public institution and in or near every polling place on election days, and at schoolhouses during school days.
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In a procession the flag is to the right of another flag or, if in a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.
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The flag should not be displayed on a float except from a staff, nor draped over the hood, top, sides, or back of a vehicle.
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When the flag is displayed on a vehicle, the staff should be fixed firmly to the chassis.
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No other flag should be placed above the flag of the United States or, if on the same level, to its right.
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The United Nations flag may not be displayed above or in a position of superior prominence to the United States flag except at United Nations Headquarters.
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The flag displayed with another against a wall, from crossed staffs, should be on the right (the flag's own right), and its staff should be in front of the other staff.
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It should be at the center and the highest point when displayed with a group of state flags.
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When flags of states, cities, etc., are flown on the same halyard, the United States flag should be at the peak.
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When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height, and the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last.
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When displayed from a staff projecting from a building, the union [upper inner corner] should be at the peak of the staff.
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When it is displayed otherwise than by being flown from a staff, it should be displayed flat, whether indoors or out; or so suspended that its folds fall as freely as though the flag were staffed.
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When displayed over a street, it should be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west street, or to the east in a north and south street.
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On a platform, it should be above and behind the speaker, with the union uppermost and to the observer's left.
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When displayed from a staff in a church or auditorium, the flag should occupy the position of honor and be placed at the speaker's right as he faces the audience.
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When flown at half-staff, the flag should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to half-staff position. It should again be raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. Half-staff is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff. The flag must be flown at half-staff on all buildings on the death of any officer listed below, for the period indicated:
- For the President or a former President: 30 days from the date of death.
- For the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives: 10 days from the day of death.
- For an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former Vice President, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives: From the day of death until interment.
- For a United States Senator, Representative, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: the flag should be flown in the metropolitan area of the District of Columbia, on the day of death and on the following day; in the state, congressional district, territory, or commonwealth of such Senator, Representative, Delegate, or Commissioner, from the day of death until interment.
- For a Governor: Within the state, territory, or possession, from the day of death until interment.
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When the flag is used to cover a casket, the union should be at the head and over the left shoulder.
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The flag should not be dipped to any person or thing.
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It should never be displayed with the union down, save as a signal of dire distress.
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It should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
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It should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
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It should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored so that it might be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.
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It should never be used as covering for a ceiling.
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It should never have anything placed on it.
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The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose, nor embroidered on cushions or handkerchiefs, printed on paper napkins or boxes, nor used as any portion of a costume.
- When the flag is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.
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Comments
In addition to exercising
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By James Flannery on May 24
In addition to exercising proper flag etiquette, people should also make sure to buy flags that are actually 100% manufactured in THE UNITED STATES.
www.flaglady43.com/Patriotic.
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By lindamc43 on May 21
www.flaglady43.com/Patriotic.html
Is a song I wrote about the flag and the history is beneath it.
I was at a college
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By GR on May 11
I was at a college commencement ceremony today. While the audience was seated and as the service began, the U.S. Flag was carried down an aisle and taken to the stage then placed in its stand. This was a time that no music was being played. The audience was not asked to 'stand'. Does flag protocol call for people to stand when the flag is carried into an auditorium?
As far as people who did not
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By I love my country
As far as people who did not believing God do not push your beliefs on me and the United States was founded on freedom of religion it does not say freedom of not believing please I have a son in military plus I have had family in military also a husband so if you do not like the United States you do not believe in God thin don't live here
The Government of the United
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By Kris Hancock on May 24
The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense founded on the Christian religion. 1st Amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights.
God bless our flag and may
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By murphyma
God bless our flag and may she fly until the end of time.
I thought we were always
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By Person of the dude
I thought we were always supposed to keep the flag up, even in wet weather
I have one 16ft flag pole
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By Dylan Bender
I have one 16ft flag pole flying the american flag and was looking to get a second one to fly the pow-mia flag. Can i have 2 flag poles and is there a specile they should be placed or can i only have 1 or 3. Please answer thanks so much!!! :)
Two adjacent flagpoles are
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By Almanac Staff
Two adjacent flagpoles are fine. Or, you can fly both flags on one pole. For one pole: the U.S. flag should be on top and the POW/MIA flag directly below it.
For two poles: the U.S. flag should be displayed on the pole to the flag's own right (Note: The "flag's own right" is usually the observer's left, as s/he is looking at the flag from the most frequently viewed angle, such as a view from the street. So, for example, two flag poles located in the front yard of a house, as viewed from the street, would have the U.S. flag on the left pole and the POW/MIA flag on the right pole.) The POW/MIA flag, on the other pole, should not be higher than the U.S. flag.
In either case, the POW/MIA flag should be no larger than the U.S. flag.
Ummm. its just a piece of
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By Paul Gangi
Ummm. its just a piece of cloth. i mean i understand what it stands for and i respect it but the stupid traditions are just a waste of time. i dont think is disrespectful if it gets a little tear or somthin. it actually makes it look cooler that way haha
Know what HONOR is,
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By mark cappelmann on May 21
Know what HONOR is, apparently not!!
I saw a picture of a parade.
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By John C
I saw a picture of a parade. All the folks were sitting in their chairs while Our Flag was passing. Except for one wheelchaired man who stood up to salute it's passing. WTF is wrong with this picture?
It was interesting reading
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By jeltez42
It was interesting reading these comments. It is very clear that this is a very emotional topic. Flags were designed to tell groups of people apart. It gives a visual clue as to where "their" people are.
I do find the current flag worship/obsession to be cause for worry as they people have taken a normal behaviour and carried it to dangerous extremes. Of course we are going to treat our flag with respect - it represents our "group" and we are respectable people. And because it is a representation of our group; the group should control who gets to use the flag.
Where the trouble comes in is when people say they would die for the flag. I am willing to die to defend this country, but the flag? No, the flag is just a symbol. Another problem is when the worshipers/obsessed become abusive towards people who do not feel the same as they do or violate some flag rule.
I hope we can all keep this in perspective. The flag represents the USA and it represents citizens of the USA. It does need to be treated with respect, but not worshiped.
When they say, "I will die
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By Lolly
When they say, "I will die for the flag"--most probably--they are using a synecdoche wherein the use of the word 'flag' represents all that we know it symbolizes, such as freedom and the nation, etc.
You just made my day! Have
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By Vivianne on May 24
You just made my day! Have never seen anyone write synecdoche outside of academic setting - thanks for nabbing the opportunity brilliantly!
An earlier comment stated
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By dntill
An earlier comment stated that these guidelines were suggestions, not laws.
Well there are laws relating to the displaying of the American Flag.
See the Congressional Research, Service of the Library of Congress, report by James Hall, Legislative Attorney, American Law Division.
I is very explicit and is too long to repeat here ...But I will repeat one short paragraph.
"All the states, at one time or other, have enacted laws relating to the United States flag. Whereas the Federal Flag Code does not provide penalties for certian conduct or may may not govern certain practices, state law may do so. Therefore, it is advisable to consider applicable provisions of state law, as well as federal law on questions of proper use of the flag."
So in most cases the Flag Code is a guide and is purely voluntary to insure proper respect for the flag.
There also is a section of the flag code that addresses the use of the flag in jewelry, commercial products, wearing apparel, and advertising.
Ask at your Congress person's office for a copy of flag displaying guidelines.
They have lots of information they can send to you.
Now would be a good time as they will want to keep you happy.
I will often proudly wear a
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By FMouie
I will often proudly wear a hat or tee shirt with the American flag prominent. I don't mean it as disrespect, but as a declaration of my pride. I don't think the Founding Fathers would disapprove of that, considering the sentiment being expressed, and the evolution of our societal ways. While I certainly appreciate and respect tradition, I think the "guidelines" should be flexible in consideration of the intent of the display of "Old Glory". I'm sure the Founding Fathers, or "rule" makers never could have anticipated the many ways Americans would eventually choose to express their love and reverence for our American flag. As a proud veteran of The Vietnam Era, I love wearing the colors and do so whenever and wherever.
Also, the above "rules" neglected to say that when hung vertically, the Union should be on the upper left, as seen by the viewer.
God bless America! Love it or leave it!
I agree with you that the
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By jeltez42
I agree with you that the founders of this country would not take issue with flags being on hats and clothing as some, non military, had sewn mini flags on their "uniforms".
The United States Flag may be
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By Jeffrey Lanham
The United States Flag may be flown in any weather as long as a weather resistant flag is flown, as well as at night if it is lighted. This is in the flag code as well. :)
If you do not honor GOD then
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By Patricia Anderson
If you do not honor GOD then how can you honor our country? Our constitution is based on God and His precepts. America will fall if people continue to disregard Him. Our flag is a symbol of our faith.Do not dishonor it!
With all due respect to your
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By R.j. Snow
With all due respect to your personal beliefs, you are very seriously mistaken here. According to the First Amendment of the Constitution, Congress shall make no law with regard to religion. The flag is purely a national symbol and has no relationship to your god or your religion whatsoever. The American flag is not a symbol of anything except the United States of America. Faith has nothing to do with it. To place your particular religious beliefs above others in this way is, in my opinion, extremely UN-patriotic and totally UN-American. If you believe in American freedom, that must include the freedom to choose ANY religion or NO religion at all!
The best way to honor God and
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By ljl98012
The best way to honor God and Country is to be a good person.
You can be a good person or a bad person whether you claim to be a Christian or not.
The important thing is to respect people of all faiths and orientations.
After all, most of our founding fathers weren't Christians, they were Deists. They understood the critical importance of separation of Church and State. Too bad so many Americans are determined to undermine this critically important pillar of our Democracy.
As befits Old Glory with
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By Duane Putnam
As befits Old Glory with Memorial Day near, I'd ask everyone to listen to or read the lyrics to "Ragged Old Flag" by Johnny Cash.
It is not a long song, but in his own country manner, I think Johnny says a lot in a few words. His song ends with these words:
"So we raise her up every morning, we take her down every night
We don't let her touch the ground and we fold her up right
On second thought, I do like to brag
Cause I'm mighty proud of the Ragged Old Flag"
Through his words, Johnny Cash touches the hearts of every American who has sworn to protect her and every American who has suffered or lost a loved one in her defense. Please have a happy holiday, but do not forget what Memorial Day is really about. Fly your Flag proudly, watch your local parade, thank a veteran or military member you know, and go to your local cemetary and care for the grave of a veteran whose family can't. You will feel the pride of being an American just as Johnny did every time he sang this song. You might just feel your heart skip a beat and find a tiny tear well up in your eyes. There are people behind our America who deserve this one small thought from those of us lucky enough to call ourselves American!
As has been pointed out,
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By JBL55
As has been pointed out, these are guidelines, not laws. It is unfortunate that some manufacturers print images of the American flag on all sorts of products, including items (e.g. paper napkins) destined for the kind of use to which our flag should never be subjected (e.g. wiping one's mouth and throwing in the trash).
It is equally unfortunate that citizens purchase these items. If more people were cognizant of the flag code and exercised common sense, perhaps the manufacturers would not sell so many of these products and would have to find another way to make money from patriotism.
Babs Clark really hit the nail on the head. The founders were keenly aware of the bloody religious civil wars which had recently wreaked so much havoc and destruction in Europe and they were determined that religion would be a matter of personal conscience, not government mandate. We must be vigilant to not allow historical revisionists to recreate our nation's history according to their prejudices and preferences.
And we should be equally vigilant about non-fact-based criticisms of our leaders. We might not always agree with them, but we shouldn't just make stuff up. "Free speech" is a poor excuse for slander.
To truly be a flag of the
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By Ken Hoyt
To truly be a flag of the USA, size, colors and dimension ratio specifications must be met. Just because an item has stars and stripes in red, white and blue does not make it an American flag. Items not meeting the criteria are merely patriotic decorations not subject to the regulations. My choice is to decline to use those items but knowing that they are not really flags helps to ease the sting of seeing others choose to display them in ways that would disrespect a flag.
I have a question...the flag
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By Sherree Austin
I have a question...the flag one receives for a fallen soldier or a deceased soldier---does that flag need to stay folded and in its case or can it be flown? what is proper?
In Memorial Day, the American
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By Kent Despain
In Memorial Day, the American Legion takes our solder's flags to the cemetery to fly in a place of honor. That is the only time they are flown.
I believe it is a personal
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By Penny Nelson
I believe it is a personal choice but I was raised to beleive that once folded it is to stay folded and if there are empty shell casings inside the folded flag they are to remain there.
When considering these rules,
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By MoonShaddow
When considering these rules, remember these pertinent facts:
1. These rules were made by joint resolution of Congress in time of war. They were never made into law. Consider them as guidelines, and consider them well.
2. The rules all echo the underlying requirement for freedom (free movement) in the symbolism of the treatment of the flag. TSA, Homeland Security and other police-state agencies should be especially mindful of the freedom underlying the symbolism of the flag.
3. Boycott all products which disrespectfully depict the flag of the USA, especially those manufactured in enemy countries. This small step helps your country in more than a symbolic way.
This all certainly makes for
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By NanaMeggie
This all certainly makes for interesting reading! I, too, wish more people were aware of proper flag etiquette and that more flags were displayed at home for our national holidays. This is a good beginning, though.
As to the image of the flag now appearing on everything from paper cups to diapers and every imaginable object in between..... well, remember that we live in a republic which guarantees freedom of speech and, in one sense, you could (albeit loosely!) interpret such uses as examples of the same. Properly speaking, the image of the flag shouldn't be used like this, but then how to account for American flags being depicted in paintings or photographs?
Just like all else, usage of our flag and flag imagery may change over time just as readily as our society itself changes. But... is it still proper or does it become proper through these changes?
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