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 & valour, 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
Wiliam 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 Hearaldry. 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.
