Flags at the White House explained

The White House in Washington, D.C., is the official residence of the president of the United States. Being the official residence of the U.S. head of state, it flies the U.S. flag from a flagpole on its rooftop. The U.S. flag is flown there 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

History

As the official residence of the U.S. head of state, the United States' national flag is permanently displayed from the White House's rooftop flagpole.[1] Contrary to popular misconception, that U.S. flag is not lowered or removed from the flagpole when the U.S. president departs from the building's premises, but remains flying.[2] This has been the case since September 1970, when then–U.S. president Richard M. Nixon mandated this practice on the suggestion of his wife and the then–U.S. first lady, Pat Nixon.[1]

Aside from the U.S. flag, other flags have occasionally been flown from the rooftop flagpole on the White House. The only foreign national flags to have been flown there are those of Serbia and France, the former flown alongside the U.S. flag in July 1918 as a show of solidarity by the United States towards the Serbian people during World War I, and the latter done in July 1920 to commemorate the French Bastille Day.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

The U.S. flag that is displayed on the rooftop flagpole on top of the White House is often lowered to half-staff on the direction of the U.S. president to commemorate a certain occasion or object, such as a person or persons significant to the United States who had recently died (such as prominent political figures like U.S. senators and members of Congress).[8] [9]

See also

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: 9.4.1970 - The Flag Flies High » Richard Nixon Foundation. Jim. Byron. September 4, 2012. March 23, 2020.
  2. Web site: Flag Code FAQ part 1: general questions. www.ushistory.org. March 22, 2020.
  3. Web site: The Day When the Serbian and U.S. Flags Flew Together Over the White House. U.S. Embassy in Serbia. March 23, 2020.
  4. Web site: Amerikanci se dive Srbima: 'Zbog jednog od vas, na Beloj kući je pre 100 godina bila srpska zastava' (VIDEO). Telegraf.rs. Serbo-Croatian. "'Americans admire Serbs:' Because of one of you, there was a Serbian flag 100 years ago at the White House". Serbia. March 22, 2020.
  5. Web site: SRPSKA ZASTAVA VIJORILA SE NA BELOJ KUĆI PRE TAČNO 100 GODINA: Evo kako je došlo do ovog istorijskog događaja. July 28, 2018. "THE SERBIAN FLAG WAS FLOWN ON THE WHITE HOUSE EXACTLY 100 YEARS AGO: Here's how this historic event came about.". kurir.rs. Serbo-Croatian. Serbia. March 22, 2020.
  6. Web site: Zahvaljujući jednom od vas pre sto godina zastava Srbije vijorila se iznad @WhiteHouse kao i na svim zgradama i javnim institucijama u glavom gradu SAD.. Thanks to one of you a hundred years ago, the Serbian flag hovers above @WhiteHouse and all buildings and public institutions in the US capital.. Zahvaljujući jednom od vas pre sto godina zastava Srbije vijorila se iznad @WhiteHouse kao i na svim zgradama i javnim institucijama u glavom gradu SAD.. Američka. ambasada. July 22, 2018.
  7. Web site: VI STE SVET: Ambasada SAD u Beogradu odala počast Srbiji zbog izuzetnog doprinosa čovečanstvu. VI STE SVET: Ambasada SAD u Beogradu odala počast Srbiji zbog izuzetnog doprinosa čovečanstvu. kurir.rs. July 2018. March 22, 2020. YOU ARE THE WORLD: The US Embassy in Belgrade pays tribute to Serbia for its outstanding contribution to humanity.
  8. Web site: Presidential Proclamation on the Death of Elijah E. Cummings. National Archives. whitehouse.gov.
  9. Web site: Proclamation on Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy in Virginia Beach, Virginia. National Archives. whitehouse.gov.

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