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The flag of West Virginia is the official flag of the
U.S. State In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
and was officially adopted by the
West Virginia Legislature The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI o ...
on March 7, 1929. The present flag consists of a pure white field bordered by a blue stripe with the coat of arms of West Virginia in the center, wreathed by ''
Rhododendron maximum ''Rhododendron maximum'' — its common names include great laurel, great rhododendron, rosebay rhododendron, American rhododendron and big rhododendron — is a species of ''Rhododendron'' native to the Appalachians of eastern North America, fr ...
'' and topped by an unfurled red ribbon reading, "State of West Virginia." It is the only state flag to bear crossing rifles, meant to illustrate the importance of the state's fight for liberty during the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
as the
southern unionist In the United States, Southern Unionists were white Southerners living in the Confederate States of America opposed to secession. Many fought for the Union during the Civil War. These people are also referred to as Southern Loyalists, Union Lo ...
35th state. The first flags to represent West Virginia following statehood were battle flags utilized by West Virginia regiments during the American Civil War. West Virginia's first official state flag was adopted in 1905, based upon the flag designed and used by the West Virginia State Commission at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. This flag was altered in 1907 for the
Jamestown Exposition The Jamestown Exposition was one of the many world's fairs and expositions that were popular in the United States in the early part of the 20th century. Commemorating the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in the Virginia Colony, it w ...
and featured the coat of arms on the obverse and a sprig of ''Rhododendron maximum'' on the reverse. In order to reproduce the flag more inexpensively, the West Virginia Legislature ratified the current flag with the state's coat of arms integrated with the rhododendron, which appears on both the obverse and the reverse. The "Pledge of Allegiance to the West Virginia State Flag" was unanimously adopted by the office of the
Secretary of State of West Virginia The Secretary of State of West Virginia is an elected office within the U.S. state of West Virginia state government. The secretary of state is responsible for overseeing the state's election process, including voter registration and election re ...
in 1977.


Design

The current state flag of West Virginia consists of a pure white field bordered on four sides by a stripe of blue. The white of the field symbolizes purity, while the blue border represents the
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
. The center of the state flag is emblazoned with the state's Coat of Arms, a stylized version of the Great Seal of West Virginia. The lower half of the state flag is wreathed by two tethered swags of ''
Rhododendron maximum ''Rhododendron maximum'' — its common names include great laurel, great rhododendron, rosebay rhododendron, American rhododendron and big rhododendron — is a species of ''Rhododendron'' native to the Appalachians of eastern North America, fr ...
'', the state flower of West Virginia. Across the top of the state flag is an unfurled red ribbon with the constitutional designation "State of West Virginia", and across the bottom of the state flag is a tied red ribbon with the state's
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
motto ''
Montani Semper Liberi The Great Seal of the State of West Virginia was adopted in September 1863. The obverse center of the seal contains a boulder that has been inscribed June 20, 1863, the date West Virginia became a state. In front of the boulder lie two crossed ri ...
'' (English: "mountaineers are always free"). The state's coat of arms in the center of the flag symbolizes the principal pursuits and resources of West Virginia. In the center is an ivy-draped boulder that has been inscribed "June 20, 1863," the date of West Virginia's admission to the Union as a state. In front of the boulder lie two crossed hunting rifles and a Phrygian cap (or "Cap of Liberty") to illustrate the importance of the state's fight for
liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...
. Two men, a farmer and a miner, stand on either side of the boulder and represent
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...
and
industry Industry may refer to: Economics * Industry (economics), a generally categorized branch of economic activity * Industry (manufacturing), a specific branch of economic activity, typically in factories with machinery * The wider industrial sector ...
. The farmer stands on the left with an ax and plow before a
cornstalk Cornstalk (c. 1720? – November 10, 1777) was a Shawnee leader in the Ohio Country in the 1760s and 1770s. His name in the Shawnee language was Hokoleskwa. Little is known about his early life. He may have been born in the Province of Pennsylv ...
and a sheaf of wheat. The miner stands on the right with a
pickaxe A pickaxe, pick-axe, or pick is a generally T-shaped hand tool used for prying. Its head is typically metal, attached perpendicularly to a longer handle, traditionally made of wood, occasionally metal, and increasingly fiberglass. A stand ...
and, behind him, two barrels, an anvil and
sledge hammer A sledgehammer is a tool with a large, flat, often metal head, attached to a long handle. The long handle combined with a heavy head allows the sledgehammer to gather momentum during a swing and apply a large force compared to hammers designed t ...
. The state flag's proportions are identical to those of the flag of the United States. When utilized for parade purposes, all but the staff side of the state flag are to be trimmed with gold
fringe Fringe may refer to: Arts * Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival, known as "the Fringe" * Adelaide Fringe, the world's second-largest annual arts festival * Fringe theatre, a name for alternative theatre * The Fringe, the ...
. When used concurrently with the flag of the United States during ceremonial occasions, the state flag is trimmed and mounted like the United States flag with regard to fringe, cord,
tassel A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric and clothing decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe. History and use In the Hebrew Bible, the Lord spoke to Moses instructing him to ...
s, and mounting.


History

Prior to the adoption of the current state flag of West Virginia, the state had been represented by a number of flags since attaining statehood in 1863, all of which proved impractical. The first West Virginia Legislature commissioned Joseph H. Diss Debar of
Doddridge County Doddridge County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,808. Its county seat is West Union. Doddridge County is part of the Clarksburg, West Virginia, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...
to design the Great Seal of West Virginia in 1863. On September 26, 1863, the West Virginia Legislature officially adopted the seal designed by Diss Debar, a stylized version of which was also designated the state's coat of arms. Despite the adoption of an official seal, the state did not decide upon an official state flag until 1905.


American Civil War

Prior to West Virginia's separation from Virginia on June 20, 1863, pro-
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
supporters in western Virginia created unique flags to show their support for the Union cause. In January 1861, the residents of Kingwood erected a flagpole measuring about in height, and on it they hoisted a handmade streamer with the word "UNION" prior to Virginia's secession. During the war, western Virginia regiments in the
Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
carried flags handmade by supportive women, as was the case with the Fifth Regiment Virginia Volunteer Infantry who carried a flag bearing the legend "5th Va. Regiment" in 1861. In January 1864, the West Virginia Legislature approved a flag for the Fourth Regiment West Virginia Volunteer Infantry to acknowledge the regiment's battles at Charleston, Vicksburg,
Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...
, and
Missionary Ridge Missionary Ridge is a geographic feature in Chattanooga, Tennessee, site of the Battle of Missionary Ridge, a battle in the American Civil War, fought on November 25, 1863. Union forces under Maj. Gens. Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, a ...
, all four of which were listed on the flag. This was the first among many battle flags to represent West Virginia after statehood which were utilized by soldiers of West Virginia regiments throughout the war. State battle flags were presented to each of West Virginia's Union regiments during the course of the war. These early state flags were squares of silk cloth measuring , and were dark blue and trimmed with golden fringe. The obverse side of these flags were painted with the state's newly minted seal within an oval, along with the name of the respective West Virginia regiment and the names and dates of the battles in which they had participated. On the reverse side, the United States national emblem was painted and consisted of a bald eagle with its wings outstretched, clutching a bundle of 13 arrows in its right talon and an olive branch in its left, and a tricolor shield placed across its breast. In its beak, the eagle clutched a scroll with the national
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
motto ''
E pluribus unum ''E pluribus unum'' ( , , ) – Latin for "Out of many, one" (also translated as "One out of many" or "One from many") – is a traditional motto of the United States, appearing on the Great Seal along with '' Annuit cœptis'' (Latin for "he ...
'' (English: "Out of Many, One"). Following the conclusion of the American Civil War, the state of West Virginia had no official flag, and the matter was not taken up until the early 20th century.


1905 flag

The need for and official state flag arose in 1904 when the West Virginia State Commission to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in
St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
reported that the state required a flag or ensign to represent and distinguish itself among the other
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
s at the exposition. In lieu of an official state flag, the commission adopted and used a state flag of its own design at the West Virginia building at the exposition, which was a "sprig of mountain laurel upon an immaculate white field with a pale blue border". In its report to the West Virginia Legislature, the West Virginia State Commission recommended the adoption of their flag design as the official state flag. On February 24, 1905, the West Virginia Legislature ratified the commission's flag design following its passage of Joint Resolution Number 16 during the gubernatorial administration of Albert B. White. The legislature adopted the commission's flag design, with the addition of a fringe or border of carmine red. The state flag was approved by the legislature to be employed on occasions where a special display of the state's individuality was necessary or regarded as appropriate. According to the 1905 joint resolution: Following its formal adoption by the legislature, schools and other institutions throughout West Virginia began flying the new state flag. The teachers and students at the schools in Ronceverte purchased the new state flag in June 1906, which measured in length, and used it along with the United States flag for salutes and patriotic exercises.


1907 flag

By 1907, the West Virginia Legislature found the 1905 state flag design to be completely unfeasible due to the lettering on one side reading toward the staff, and the differing colors on each respective side showing through the opposite side of the flag's white field of cloth. The state legislature found that this destroyed "the distinctive features of the banner and leaving the state without a prescribed official flag". The West Virginia Legislature sought to remedy the state flag's design flaws in 1907 so that the state could be properly represented at the
Jamestown Exposition The Jamestown Exposition was one of the many world's fairs and expositions that were popular in the United States in the early part of the 20th century. Commemorating the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in the Virginia Colony, it w ...
in
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
. On February 25, 1907, during the administration of Governor William M. O. Dawson, the West Virginia Legislature passed Joint Resolution 2, which amended the flag by removing the seal and motto from the reverse side and changing the color of the bordering fringe from carmine red to
old gold Old gold is a dark yellow, which varies from light olive or olive brown to deep or strong yellow, generally on the darker side of this range. The first recorded use of ''old gold'' as a color name in English was in the early 19th century (exact ...
. Instead of the seal and motto, the reverse of the flag was changed to consist of "a spring or sprig of the rhododendron maximum". According to the 1907 joint resolution:


1929 flag

The flag design ratified in 1907 remained the state's official flag until 1929. The state of West Virginia sought a flag design that could be produced inexpensively so that the state flag could be mass-produced for the state's public schools. The 1907 flag proved to be more costly to reproduce due to the two different symbols on each side of the banner, the state's coat of arms on the obverse and the state's flower on the reverse. The West Virginia Legislature decided the state flag should be stamped with a design that would integrate both the coat of arms and the state flower on both sides. The design of the present state flag was officially adopted by the West Virginia Legislature on March 7, 1929, by
West Virginia Senate The West Virginia Senate is the upper house of the West Virginia Legislature. There are seventeen senatorial districts. Each district has two senators who serve staggered four-year terms. Although the Democratic Party held a supermajority in t ...
Joint Resolution Number 18. According to the joint resolution: In 2001, the
North American Vexillological Association The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) is a membership organization devoted to vexillology, the scientific and scholarly study of flags. It was founded in 1967 by American vexillologist Whitney Smith (1940–2016), and others. It ...
surveyed its members and other flag enthusiasts on the designs of the 72 U.S. state, U.S. territorial, and Canadian provincial flags. Members ranked the West Virginia state flag at 51 out of the 72 flags surveyed. U.S. state flags with state seals on solid-color fields, like the West Virginia state flag, proved unpopular in the survey.


Usage and protocol

The West Virginia Legislature has passed a series of laws in the West Virginia Code governing the usage of the West Virginia state flag. The state flag is not permitted to be placed above, or if on the same level, to the right of the United States flag. Both the United States and West Virginia state flags are to be flown over the
West Virginia State Capitol The West Virginia State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of West Virginia, and houses the West Virginia Legislature and the office of the Governor of West Virginia. Located in Charleston, West Virginia, the building was ded ...
building year-round. Any United States or West Virginia state flag purchased with state funds must be manufactured in the United States; and West Virginia county boards of education must only purchase state flags manufactured in the United States if board building funds are used. To honor the death of law-enforcement officers within the state, the West Virginia Code permits the draping of the state flag over the coffin at no cost, upon the request of the next-of-kin.


Half-mast protocol

Effective July 18, 2013, the office of
West Virginia Governor The governor of West Virginia is the head of government of West VirginiaWV Constitution article VII, § 5. and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state, state's West Virginia National Guard, military forces.WV Constitution article VII, § 12. Th ...
Earl Ray Tomblin Earl Ray Tomblin (born March 15, 1952) is an American politician who served as the 35th governor of West Virginia from 2011 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the West Virginia Senate from 1980 to 2011 and as pre ...
established guidelines in accordance with the United States Code and West Virginia precedent and customs regarding the
half-mast Half-mast or half-staff (American English) refers to a flag flying below the summit of a ship mast, a pole on land, or a pole on a building. In many countries this is seen as a symbol of respect, mourning, distress, or, in some cases, a salut ...
display of United States and West Virginia state flags on West Virginia state properties. Both the United States and West Virginia state flags are to be hoisted to full-mast, before being lowered to the half-mast position; likewise both flags are to be hoisted full-mast prior to being lowered for the day. Both flags are only to be displayed in the half-mast position in accordance with Federal law on the following occasions: *
Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...
(the last Monday in May): flags are displayed at half-mast from sunrise until noon, then raised to full-mast. *
Peace Officers Memorial Day Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week is an observance in the United States that pays tribute to the local, state, and federal peace officers who have died, or who have been disabled, in the line of duty. It is celebrated May 15th of each y ...
(May 15): flags are displayed at half-mast for the entire day, unless that day is also
Armed Forces Day Many nations around the world observe some kind of Armed Forces Day to honor their military forces. This day is not to be confused with Veterans Day or Memorial Day. Africa Egypt In Egypt, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 6 October, ...
(the third Saturday in May). *
Patriot Day In the United States, Patriot Day occurs on September 11 of each year in memory of the people killed in the September 11 attacks of the year 2001. History In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, carried out by terrorists from Al-Qaeda, Pre ...
(September 11): flags are displayed at half-mast for the entire day. *
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day or Pearl Harbor Day, is observed annually in the United States on December 7, to remember and honor the 2,403 Americans who were killed in the Japanese surpri ...
(December 7): flags are displayed at half-mast for the entire day. * Flags are displayed at half-mast for 30 days following the day of death of either a current or former
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
. * Flags are displayed at half-mast for ten days following the day of death of the
Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...
, the Chief Justice or retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. * Flags are displayed at half-mast from the day of death until the day of
interment Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
of a former Vice President, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department of the United States, or a Governor of a U.S. state, territory, or possession. * Flags are displayed at half-mast on the day of death and the following day for a member of the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
. * Flags displayed at half-mast on state properties following a proclamation by the Governor of West Virginia during other unique instances outlined in the 2013 guidelines.


Desecration

According to West Virginia state law, the desecration of either the flag of the United States or the West Virginia state flag is an offense punishable as a misdemeanor and upon conviction, a guilty verdict can result in a fine "not less than five nor more than one hundred dollars," or confinement in jail "for a period not exceeding thirty days" at "the discretion of the court or justice trying the case." However, such laws are unenforceable as the
United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
in '' Texas v. Johnson'', , and reaffirmed in '' U.S. v. Eichman'', , has ruled that due to the
First Amendment to the United States Constitution The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws that regulate an establishment of religion, or that prohibit the free exercise of religion, or abridge the freedom of speech, the ...
, it is unconstitutional for a government (whether federal, state, or municipality) to prohibit the desecration of a flag, due to its status as " symbolic speech."


Pledge of allegiance

On February 8, 1977, the office of the
Secretary of State of West Virginia The Secretary of State of West Virginia is an elected office within the U.S. state of West Virginia state government. The secretary of state is responsible for overseeing the state's election process, including voter registration and election re ...
unanimously adopted the "Pledge of Allegiance to the West Virginia State Flag." The motion to adopt the pledge was made by Charles S. Smith and seconded by Carol J. Calvert. The pledge reads as follows:


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Flag Of West Virginia
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
Insignia of West Virginia Symbols of West Virginia
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
West Virginia culture