Modern American Flag Celebrates 100 Years

Most people flying the American flag outside their home in the Sewickley area every day might be surprised to find it probably isn’t the right dimension under federal law.

In fact, it was 100 years ago this weekend that President William Howard Taft signed an executive order that standardized the look of the American flag, which isn’t followed by many designers nowadays.

“It established proportions and sizes,” said Richard Gideon, who is a professional vexillologist, of the 1912 executive order. “Up until that point, there was never any direction about how you should make a U.S. flag. Which, oddly enough, no one abides by these days.”

Gideon and in  hosted an event Sunday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the standardized American flag.

Gideon is trying to spread the word that the flag’s specifications should be nearly twice as long as wide, unlike the typical 3-by-5 flags that are sold in most stores.

“They never put any enforcements or penalties on the flag code,” Gideon said. “It’s more like a recommendation and courtesy.”

There were three original flag acts in 1777, 1794 and 1818, but it wasn’t until June 24, 1912, that Taft and the Department of Navy put in the uniform code with the addition of two new states. There were more alterations to the code during President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s terms, and again in 1976.

Sunday's free event offered the public a short lecture, some demonstrations and a “lot of show and tell.”

“You get a different feel when you see a properly made US flag compared to a manufactured one,” he said.

For more information, visit www.oldsaintlukes.org/events.php.