Red, white, and blue: How to properly display and honor the American flag

As the U.S. prepares to celebrate Flag Day on June 14 and 250 years of Independence on July 4, American flags will be flying prominently throughout the country.  Here is the proper way to display Old Glory. 

The backstory:

The U.S. National Flag Code was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 22, 1942, and laid out the ways to display and respect the flag of the United States.

Daily display of the American flag and weather guidelines

Time of Day: Traditional guidelines dictate displaying the flag in public only from sunrise to sunset. However, it may fly 24 hours a day if it is properly illuminated during the night.

Weather Precautions: To prevent damage, the flag should never be flown during rain, snow, or high winds unless it is explicitly manufactured as an all-weather flag.

Where to Fly: The flag should be displayed daily, particularly on national and state holidays. It should be prominent on or near the main buildings of public institutions, at polling places on election days, and at schools during school days.

Handling: Always hoist the flag briskly and lower it with solemn ceremony. 

Displaying the American flag in parades, floats, and processions 

Marching Lines: When carried in a procession alongside other banners, the U.S. flag must sit either on the marching right (the flag’s own right) or out in front and center of the moving flag line.

Vehicles and Floats: In a parade, the flag should either hang freely from a staff or be suspended so its folds fall naturally. It must never be draped over the body of a car, truck, or float. 

Displaying with other flags  

Crossed staffs against a Wall: When mounted on crossed staffs against a wall, the U.S. flag must be on its own right (which is the viewer’s left). Its staff must also sit in front of the accompanying flag's staff.

Group displays: In a clustered group of varying flagstaffs, the American flag must occupy the center position and sit at the highest point.

Shared staffs: If flown on the same halyard with state, city, or organizational flags, the U.S. flag must always be at the apex. The lone exception is during church services conducted at sea by Navy chaplains.

Hanging the American flag from a building or wall

Flat or Suspended: When displayed without a staff, the flag must hang perfectly flat or be suspended so that its folds fall entirely free.

Over-the-Street Displays: When hanging the flag horizontally across a street, the union (the blue field of stars) must face north or east, depending on the orientation of the roadway. 

Hanging the American flag projected from a building

Window and wall staff: When projecting outward from a building facade, the union should be placed at the peak of the staff—unless the flag is intentionally being flown at half-staff.

Rope and pole suspensions: If the flag is being hoisted out of a building toward a pole via a guide rope, it must always be extended out union-first.

 

America 250U.S.