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American Flag Display

• The American Flag code is the guide for all handling and display of the Stars and Stripes

• The American flag code was developed to ensure that "No disrespect should be shown to the Flag of the United States of America."

• The American Flag Code was first adopted on June 14, 1923 to coincide with the first American Flag Day and provided help and guidance to all citizens regarding flag protocol

• The exact rules for use and display of the flag was made law on December 22, 1942

• The American Flag Code allows the American President to make any appropriate changes or include any additional rules to the code

• Hoist - the act or function of raising a flag, as on a rope
• Half Staff or Half Mast - the flag is hoisted to half of the potential height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
  • Performed by first raising the flag to the top, then lowering it halfway
• Distress - denoted by flying the flag upside-down
• Halyard -The rope used to raise the flag (also called a hoist rope)

• It is the custom to display the American flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open
• Night Display -  the American flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness
• Manner of hoisting - The American flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously
• Inclement weather - The American flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when an all-weather American flag is used
• The American flag should be displayed daily, on or near, the main administration building of every public institution
• The American flag should be displayed in, or near, every polling place on election days
• The American flag should be displayed, during school days, in or near every schoolhouse

• The American flag should be displayed on all days but most especially on the following days:
  • New Year's Day, January 1
  • Inauguration Day, January 20
  • Lincoln's Birthday, February 12
  • Washington's Birthday, third Monday in February
  • Easter Sunday (variable)
  • Mother's Day, second Sunday in May
  • Armed Forces Day, third Saturday in May
  • Memorial Day (half-staff until noon), the last Monday in May
  • Flag Day, June 14
  • Independence Day, July 4
  • Labor Day, first Monday in September
  • Constitution Day, September 17
  • Columbus Day, second Monday in October
  • Navy Day, October 27
  • Veterans Day, November 11
  • Thanksgiving Day, fourth Thursday in November
  • Christmas Day, December 25
  • Other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States
  • The Birthdays of States (date of admission)
  • State holidays

• The American Flag, when carried in a procession with other flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line
• Float Display - The American flag should not be displayed on a float in a parade except from a staff
• Vehicle Display - The American flag should not be draped over the hood, top, sides, or back of a vehicle or of a railroad train or a boat. When the flag is displayed on a motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender
• Position of Prominence
  • 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
  • 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 are grouped and displayed from staffs
  • The American flag 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
  • 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
• Displayed against a wall - 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
  • 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
• Staff Display - When the flag of the United States is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, or front of a building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half staff
• Sidewalk Display - When the American flag is suspended over a sidewalk from a rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building
• Window Display - When displayed in a window, the American flag should be displayed with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street
• When the American flag is displayed over the middle of the 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
• 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 to the right of the audience
• Ceremonies - The American flag should form a distinctive feature of the ceremony of unveiling a statue or monument, but it should never be used as the covering for the statue or monument
• Casket Protocol - When the American flag is used to cover a casket, it should be so placed that the union is at the head and over the left shoulder
  • The American flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground
• When the American flag is suspended across a corridor or lobby in a building with only one main entrance, it should be suspended vertically with the union of the flag to the observer's left upon entering
• "The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.". The flag should be burned in private with due care and respect

We hope that the presentation of facts and information regarding the display of the American Flag has provided a useful resource. The subject of American Flag Etiquette has been covered in detail and may be accessed by clicking the following link 'American Flag Etiquette'

American Flag Display