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Flag of Kentucky
U.S. state flag From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The flag of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, a U.S. state, was adopted on March 26, 1918. It was designed by Jesse Cox Burgess, though flags similar to the current state flag have been in use as early as 1880. In June 1962, the flag was standardized.
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History
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- Flag used by Kentucky's delegates at the 1860 Republican National Convention[1]
In 1880, Joseph P. Nuckols, the Adjutant General appointed a Committee to design a flag for the State Guard. The flag was described as containing a blue background with the state seal in the center, an Eagle placed above the seal. In the eagle beak is a scroll inscribed with “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Underneath the seal in gold the Regimental or Battalion number with the letters: “K. S. G."[2]
A flag referred to as a state flag was mentioned in 1883. The design was given to the Adjutant General's Department and was described as: "It will bear the coat-of-arms of the state, the figures being correct portraits of Daniel Boone and Dick Tateboon companions of the early day."[3]
During the Spanish-American War, regiments from Kentucky carried a blue regimental flags bearing the state seal in the center and the regimental number ether below or above it, with the inscription "U.S.V." or "U.S.V.I."[2]
- Flag of the Kentucky State Guard. The flag is referred to as the unofficial state flag in this 1917 flag book.
- Flag carried by Fourth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish-American War[2]
- Digital reconstruction of the flag carried by Second Regiment, Kentucky Volunteers during the Spanish-American War[2]
The current state flag was designed by Jesse Cox Burgess, an art teacher in Frankfort, the state capital of Kentucky. It was adopted by the Kentucky General Assembly on March 26, 1918.[4] In June 1962, the flag was standardized, specifically the flag size and the design of the seal.[5][6]
In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 Canadian provincial, U.S. state, and U.S. territorial flags; Kentucky's flag was ranked 66th.[7]
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Design
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The flag consists of the Commonwealth's seal on a navy blue field, surrounded by the words "Commonwealth of Kentucky" above and sprigs of goldenrod, the state flower, below.[8]
The seal depicts a pioneer and a statesman embracing. Popular belief claims that the buckskin-clad man on the left is Daniel Boone, who was largely responsible for the exploration of Kentucky, and the man in the suit on the right is Henry Clay, Kentucky's most famous statesman. However, the official explanation is that the men represent all frontiersmen and statesmen, rather than any specific persons.[9]
The length of the flag shall be 1.9 times the width of the flag. The seal and surrounding detail shall be ⅔ the width of the flag.[5]
The emblem at the head of a flagstaff used to display the state flag shall be the Kentucky cardinal in an alert but restful pose. The bird will be cast in bronze, brass, or any other suitable material. The display of the state flag at all state buildings, public school buildings, National Guard armories, state parks, and other such installation buildings is considered proper and is encouraged.[5]
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Pledge
In 2000, the General Assembly adopted the following pledge of allegiance to the flag of Kentucky:
I pledge allegiance to the Kentucky flag, and to the Sovereign State for which it stands, one Commonwealth, blessed with diversity, natural wealth, beauty, and grace from on High."[10]
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