How to Respect and Display Our Flag

The following information is taken from Title 36 (Patriotic Societies and Observances) of the United States Code Chapter 10
(Patriotic Customs) as provided on the Internet by by the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University School of Law
(http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/36/).

   § 170. National Anthem; Star Spangled Banner

The composition consisting of the words and music known as The Star-Spangled Banner is designated
the national anthem of the United States of America.

   § 171. Conduct during playing

During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform
should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should
remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart.
Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position
until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in
the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.

   § 173. Display and use of flag by civilians; codification of rules and customs;
             definition

The following codification of existing rules and customs pertaining to the display and use of the flag of
the United States of America is established for the use of such civilians or civilian groups or
organizations as may not be required to conform with regulations promulgated by one or more executive
departments of the Government of the United States. The flag of the United States for the purpose of this
chapter shall be defined according to sections 1 and 2 of Title 4 and Executive Order 10834 issued
pursuant thereto.

   § 174. Time and Occasions for display; hoisting and lowering

(a) Display on buildings and stationary flagstaffs in open; night 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.
(b) Manner of hoisting
    The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.
(c) Inclement weather
    The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when an all weather
    flag is displayed.
(d) Particular days of display
    The flag should be displayed on all days, especially on 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; [Webmaster's Note:
    The true Memorial Day is May 30]; 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; and such other days as may be proclaimed by the
    President of the United States; the birthdays of States (date of admission); and on State holidays.
(e) Display on or near administration building of public institutions
    The flag should be displayed daily on or near the main administration building of every public
    institution.
(f) Display in or near polling places
    The flag should be displayed in or near every polling place on election days.
(g) Display in or near schoolhouses
    The flag should be displayed during school days in or near every schoolhouse.

    § 175. Position and manner of display

The flag, when carried in a procession with another flag or 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.

    (a) The flag should not be displayed on a float in a parade except from a staff, or as provided in
    subsection (i) of this section.
    (b) The 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.
    (c) 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,
    when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the
    Navy. 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.
    (d) 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.
    (e) 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 the staffs.
    (f) 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. When the flags are flown
    from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted frist 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.
    (g) 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 approximately equal size. International usage forbidw the display
    of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
    (h) 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. When the 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.
    (i) 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.
    (j) When the 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.
    (k) 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.
    (l) The 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.
    (m) 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 a 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. The flag shall be flown at half-staff thirty days
    from the death of the President or a former President; ten days from the day of death of the Vice
    President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the
    House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment, a former Vice President, or the
    Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a
    Member of Congress. As used in this subsection -
        (1) the term "half-staff" means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between
        the top and bottom of the staff;
        (2) the term "executive or military department" means any agency listed under sections 101 and
        102 of title 5; and
        (3) the term "Member of Congress" means a Senator, a Representative, a Delegate, or the
        Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
    (n) When the 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 flag should not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground.
    (o) When the 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. If the building has more than one main entrance, the flag should be suspended vertically
    near the center of the corridor or lobby with the union to the north, when entrances are to the east
    and west or to the east when entrances are to the north and south. If there are entrances in more than
    two directions, the union should be to the east.

    § 176 Respect for flag

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped
to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be
dipped as a mark of honor.

    (a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in
    instances of extreme danger to life or property.
    (b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or
    merchandise.
    (c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
    (d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be
    festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white and
    red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be
    used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
    (e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to
    be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.
    (f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
    (g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark,
    insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
    (h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering
    anything.
    (i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should
    should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or
    otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and
    discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff of halyard from which the flag is flown.
    (j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch
    may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic
    organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore,
    the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.
    (k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be
    destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

    § 177. Conduct during hoisting, lowering or passing of flag

During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is passing in a parade of in review,
all persons present except for those in uniform should face the flag and stand at attention with the right
hand over the heart. Those present in uniform should rencer the military salute. When not in uniform, men
should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over
the heart. Aliens should stand at attention. The salute to the flag in a moving column should be rendered
at the moment the flag passes.

    § 178. Modification of rules and customs by President

Any rule or custom pertaining to the display of the flag of the United States of America, set forth in
section 171-178 of this title, may be altered, modified, or repealed, or additional rules with respect
thereto may be prescribed, by the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States,
whenever he deems it to be appropriate or desirable; and any such alteration or additional rule shall be
set forth in a proclamation.

The United States Flag Description

                           Proportions

                               Hoist (width) of Flag . . . . 1
                               Fly (length) of Flag. . . . 1.9
                              Hoist (width) of Union. . . 7/13
                              Fly (length) of Union . . . 0.76
                              Width of each stripe. . . . 1/13
                             Diameter of each star . . . 0.0616
This information is taken from Executive Order No. 10834 issued by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on
August 24, 1959, which amended the provisions of Title 4, U.S.C., Chapter 1 and established the 50 star
Flag as the official Flag of the United States, effective July 4, 1960.

                       Display Your Flag Proudly on any day, and especially. . .

. . .and such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States and on State holidays.

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