Facts About New York State Flag

As one of the original 13 states, New York can trace the history of its flag back to the Revolutionary War, although the flag has undergone a number of changes since then. The original flag hangs in the Albany Institute of History and Art.

Symbolism

The seal on the New York state flag is symbolic of the state it represents. According to the New York State Library, the central shield shows two ships on a river with a background of three mountains and a golden sun shining in a blue sky. An American eagle with wings spread stands on a globe above the shield, while on each side are female figures representing liberty and justice. The state motto "Excelsior," meaning "Ever Upward," is written on a banner below.

Insignia History

The seal used on the flag has undergone five stages of development. According to the New York State Department of State, the first Great Seal dates from 1777, when a three-man committee came up with a design to replace the Crown Seal used under British rule. This was slightly modified in 1778 and again in 1798 when the comptroller, attorney general and surveyor general recorded a full description of it. The governor prepared a fourth version of the Great Seal in 1809 and in 1882 a commission finalized the seal that is used today.

Flag History

Although New York State has had a seal since the 1770s, the flag has only existed in its current form since 1901. Before then, the flag design was similar to today's flag design but used buff---a shade of yellow---as the background color. The buff color dated from the days of the Revolutionary War when George Washington chose buff for the uniforms and flags of the Continental Line, probably in reference to the historic settlement of Dutch people in New York and New Jersey. In 1901, the New York flag was officially altered to a shade of dark blue.

Protocol

The New York State Office of General Services sets out a number of protocols for flying the state flag. The state flag along with the national flag should be flown on every day of the year except during such adverse weather conditions as snow, rain and high winds. The flag should fly at half-staff on Memorial Day, Pearl Harbor Day, Peace Officers Memorial Day and Patriot Day. The flag is also flown at half-staff on such occasions as the death of a president or vice president, member of Congress, a local servicemen or a local public servants.

Patriot Day

Patriot Day is the most recent addition to the list of days on which the state flag must be flown. A joint resolution of Congress named Sept. 11 as Patriot Day, when the president issues a proclamation asking all states to fly their flags at half-staff on that day. The New York State Office of General Services expects this practice to continue.

References

• New York State Library: New York State Flag and the Great Seal of the State of New York
• New York State Department of State: Great Seal of New York State
• "Complete Flags of the World"; Dorling Kindersley; 1997
• New York State Office of General Services: Flag Policy
• New York State Office of General Services: Display of the Flag Frequently Asked Questions