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Sentimental writers and orators sometimes
ascribe meanings to the colors in the flag. The practice is erroneous, as
are statements on this subject attributed to George Washington and other
founders of the country.
From the book "Our Flag" published in
1989 by the House of Representatives...
"On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress
passed a resolution authorizing a committee to devise a seal for the
United States of America. This mission, designed to reflect the Founding
Fathers' beliefs, values, and sovereignty of the new Nation, did not
become a reality until June 20, 1782. In heraldic devices, such as seals,
each element has a specific meaning. Even colors have specific meanings.
The colors red, white, and blue did not have meanings for "The
Stars and Stripes" when it was adopted in 1777. However, the colors in the
Great Seal did have specific meanings. Charles Thompson, Secretary
of the Continental Congress, reporting to Congress on the Seal, stated:
"The colors of the pales (the vertical
stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America;
White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue,
the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies
vigilance, perseverance & justice."
Also this from a book about the flag
published in 1977 by the House of Representatives...
"The star is a symbol of the heavens and
the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe
is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."
The quote below concerning gold fringe
on the Flag is from the book "So Proudly We Hail, The History of the
United States Flag" Smithsonian Institute Press 1981, by William R.
Furlong and Byron McCandless. "The placing of a fringe on Our Flag is
optional with the person of organization, and no Act of Congress or
Executive Order either prohibits the practice, according to the Institute
of Heraldry. Fringe is used on indoor flags only, as fringe on flags on
outdoor flags would deteriorate rapidly.
The fringe on a Flag is considered and
'honorable enrichment only', and its official use by the US Army dates
from 1895.. A 1925 Attorney General's Opinion states: 'the fringe does not
appear to be regarded as an integral part of the Flag, and its presence
cannot be said to constitute an unauthorized addition to the design
prescribed by statute. An external fringe is to be distinguished from
letters, words, or emblematic designs printed or superimposed upon the
body of the flag itself. Under law, such additions might be open to
objection as unauthorized; but the same is not necessarily true of the
fringe.'"
The gold trim is generally used on
ceremonial indoor flags that are used for special services and is believed
to have been first used in a military setting. It has no specific
significance that I have ever run across, and its (gold trim) use is in
compliance with applicable flag codes and laws.
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