For
nearly 50 years after Congress
authorized the design for our
flag, citizens had no uniform
set of rules to guide them in
displaying and showing respect
for the flag.
To
supply such a guide, a National
Flag Conference was held in
Washington. D.C. on Flag Day,
June 14 1923. Representatives of
sixty-eight organizations met
and drew up a Flag Code, which
was revised by a second
Conference in 1924.
Congress
in 1942 adopted a resolution
which made the Flag Code a law.
This resolution was amended on
July 7, 1976 and became Public
Law 94-344 commonly called the
Flag Code.
Here
are some of the provisions
contained in it:
"The
flag should be hoisted briskly
and lowered ceremoniously. The
flag should not be displayed
out-of-doors on the days when
the weather is inclement. The
flag should be displayed
daily, weather permitting, on
or near the main
administration building of
every public institution. The
flag should be displayed in or
near every polling place on
election days. The flag should
be displayed during school
days in or near every
schoolhouse."
General
Display
It
is the universal custom to display
the flag only from sunrise to
sunset on buildings and on
stationary flagstaffs in the open.
However, when a patriotic effect
is desired, the flag may be
displayed twenty-four hours a day
if properly illuminated during the
hours of darkness.
1.
When displayed either horizontally
or vertically against a wall, the
union should be uppermost and to
the flag's own right, that is, to
the observer's left. When
displayed in a window, the flag
should be displayed in the same
way, with the union or blue field
to the left of the observer in the
street.
No
other flag or pennant should be
placed above, or, if on the same
level, to the right of the flag of
the United States of America,
except during church services
conducted by naval chaplains at
sea... for personnel of the
Navy... when the church pennant
may be flown above the flag.
No
person shall display the flag of
the United Nations or any other
national or international flag
equal, above, or in a position of
superior prominence or honor to,
or in place of, the flag of the
United States at any place within
the United States or any Territory
or possession thereof; Provided,
that nothing in this section shall
make unlawful the continuance of
the practice heretofore followed
of displaying the flag of the
United Nations in a position of
superior prominence or honor, and
other national flags in positions
of equal prominence or honor, with
that of the flag of the United
States at the headquarters of the
United Nations.
2.
When flags of States, cities, or
localities, or pennants of
societies are flown on the same
halyard with the flag of the
United States, the latter should
always be at the peak.
3.
When the flags are flown from
adjacent staffs, the flag of the
United States should be hoisted
first and lowered last. No such
flag or pennant may be placed
above the flag of the United
States or to the United States
flag's right.
4.
The flag of the United States of
America, when it is displayed with
another flag 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 staff of the other flag.
5.
The flag of the United States of
America should be at the center
and at the highest point of the
group when a number of flags of
States or localities or pennants
of societies are grouped and
displayed from staffs.
6.
When flags of two or more nations
are displayed, they are to be
flown from separate staffs of the
same height. The flags should be
of approximately equal size.
International usage forbids the
display of the flag of one nation
above that of another nation in
time of peace.
Churches, Auditoriums
7.
When used on a speaker's platform,
the flag, if displayed flat,
should be displayed above and
behind the speaker. When displayed
from a staff in a church or public
auditorium, the flag of the United
States of America should hold the
position of superior prominence,
in advance of the audience, and in
the position of honor at the
clergyman's or speaker's right as
he faces the audience. Any other
flag so displayed should be placed
on the left of the clergyman or
speaker or the right of the
audience.
Half-Staff
The
flag, when flown at half-staff,
should be first hoisted to the
peak for an instant and then
lowered to the half-staff
position. The flag should be again
raised to the peak before it is
lowered for the day. On Memorial
Day, the flag should be displayed
at half-staff until noon only,
then raised to the top of the
staff. By order of the President,
the flag shall be flown at
half-staff upon the death of
principal figures of the United
States Government and the Governor
of the State, territory or
possession, as a mark of respect
to their memory. In the event of
the death of other officials or
foreign dignitaries, the flag is
to be displayed at half-staff
according to Presidential
instructions or orders, or in
accordance with recognized customs
or practices not inconsistent with
law.
In
the event of the death of a
present or former official of the
government of any State, territory
or possession of the United
States, the Governor of that
State, territory or possession may
proclaim that the National flag
shall be flown at half-staff.
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