Americanism - Keep Calm and Wave On: When and How to Fly the American Flag

Mary Stroud
2015-2016 Americanism
National Ambassador

When to Display the Flag

• The Flag should be displayed on all days when the weather permits, especially on legal holidays or other special occasions. 
• It is customary to display the Flag from sunrise to sunset on buildings or on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, on special occasions it may be displayed at night, always lighted. 
• The Flag should be displayed on or near the main administration building of every public institution – in or near polling places on elections days and in or near schools when they are in session. 
• A citizen may fly the Flag on any day he/she wishes.

How to Fly the Flag

• The Flag should be raised and lowered by hand. 
• Never raise the Flag while it is furled; unfurl, then hoist quickly to the peak of the flagstaff. 
• It should be lowered slowly and ceremoniously. 
• The Flag should never be allowed to touch anything beneath it, such as the ground or floor.
• The flying of the Flag at half-staff is a sign of mourning. When flown at half-staff, the Flag should be first hoisted to the peak, then immediately lowered to the half-staff position. It should be raised to the peak again for a moment before it is lowered for the day. Half-staff is the point midway between top and bottom of the flagstaff. On Memorial Day in May, the Flag should fly at half-staff from sunrise until noon and at full-staff from noon until sunset.

How to Display the Flag

• If the Flag is displayed from a staff projected from a window sill, balcony or front of a building, the union of the Flag should go to the peak of the staff (unless the Flag is to be displayed at half-staff). 
• When the Flag is displayed in any manner other than being flown from a staff, it should be displayed flat, whether indoors or out. 
• If displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost to the flag’s own right; that is to the observers left. 
• When displayed in a window, it should be suspended in the same way – that is, with the union to the left of the observer in the street. 
• When displayed over the middle of the street, the Stars and Stripes should be suspended vertically with the union to the north on an east-west street and to the east on a north-south street. 
• When the Flag is suspended over a sidewalk from rope extending from house to pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the Flag should be hoisted out from the building toward the pole union first. 
• When used on a speaker’s platform the Flag may be displayed flat, above and behind the speaker. 
• If flown from a staff it should be on the speaker’s right; all other flags on the platform should be on the speakers left.

Keep Calm and Wave On!

Wishing everyone a safe, blessed and Merry Christmas! Don’t forget to keep our service members in your thoughts and prayers whether they be stateside or across the globe. They continue to fight for your freedom to wave that beautiful Flag!