I walk by a mailbox that is a replica of the Texas flag. People in Texas take the flag very seriously. You see its image on everything from men’s shirts to women’s scarves to children’s boots. It has the same colors as the U.S. flag with a much more classic, simple design. Why do I feel like Sheldon on the TV show “Big Bang Theory” when he did his video podcast “Fun with Flags?” The choices different countries and states make for their flags vary widely, but most have some sort of significant meaning. Let’s find out more about the Texas flag.
According to Wikipedia, the flag of Texas is the official flag of the U.S. state of Texas. It is well known for its prominent single white star which gives the flag its commonly used name — "Lone Star Flag." This lone star, in turn, gives rise to the state's nickname: "The Lone Star State." The flag, flown at homes and businesses statewide, is highly popular among Texans and is treated with a great degree of reverence and esteem. Along with the flag of Hawaii, it is one of two state flags to have previously served as a national flag.
In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U.S. state, territorial and Canadian provincial flags and ranked the Texas flag second, behind New Mexico.
Flag design
The state flag is officially described by law as:
a rectangle that: (1) has a width to length ratio of two to three; and (2) contains: (A) one blue vertical stripe that has a width equal to one-third the length of the flag; (B) two equal horizontal stripes, the upper stripe white, the lower stripe red, each having a length equal to two-thirds the length of the flag; and (C) one white, regular five-pointed star: (i) located in the center of the blue stripe; (ii) oriented so that one point faces upward; and (iii) sized so that the diameter of a circle passing through the five points of the star is equal to three-fourths the width of the blue stripe.
History and adoption
Legislation authorizing the flag was introduced in the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 28, 1838, by Senator William H. Wharton. The flag was adopted on January 25, 1839 as the national flag of the Republic of Texas. "Accompanying the original Act ... is a drawing by Peter Krag of the national flag and seal ... although in the original President Lamar's approval and signature are at the top and upside down[.]" When Texas became the 28th U.S. state on December 29, 1845, the national flag became the state flag. From 1879 until 1933 there was no official state flag, although the Lone Star Flag remained the de facto state flag; in adopting the Revised Civil Statutes of 1879, the legislature repealed all statutes not expressly continued in force; since the statutes pertaining to the flag were not among those renewed, Texas was formally flagless until the passage of the 1933 flag law.
The actual designer of the flag is unknown. Some claim that Dr. Charles B. Stewart is either the designer of the flag or drew the image used by the Third Congress when enacting the legislation adopting the flag. However, Stewart's drawing "looks suspiciously like a tracing of the Peter Krag art, including the upside-down signature of President Lamar."
Colors and symbolism
The exact shades of red, white, and blue to be used in the flag are specified by Texas statute to be the same as those of the flag of the United States.
The Texas Flag Code assigns the following symbolism to the colors of the Texas flag: blue stands for loyalty, white for purity and red for bravery. The code also states that the single lone star "represents ALL of Texas and stands for our unity as one for God, State, and Country."
The idea of the single red stripe and single white stripe actually dates back to the short-lived Republic of Fredonia, a small state near modern Nacogdoches which seceded from Mexico in 1826 before being forcibly re-integrated. The new state was formed through an alliance between local Anglo settlers and Native American tribes and the Fredonian flag used a white and red stripe to symbolize the two ethnic/racial groups from which the state was formed. Though this rebellion ultimately failed, it served as an inspiration to the later Texas Revolution.
The idea of the "lone star" is, in fact, an older symbol predating the flag which was used to symbolize Texans' solidarity in declaring independence from Mexico. A similar lone star was on the "Burnet Flag," which resembled the flag of the short-lived Republic of West Florida. The "Lone Star" is still seen today as a symbol of Texas' independent spirit and gave rise to the state's official nickname "The Lone Star State."
Pledge of allegiance and flag protocol
The pledge of allegiance to the state flag is as follows:
Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.
The pledge was instituted by the Texas Legislature in 1933. The pledge originally referred to the "Texas flag of 1836" — which was the Burnet Flag, and not the Lone Star Flag then in use. In 1965, the error was corrected by deleting the words "of 1836" because the current flag was not officially adopted by the Texas government until 1839. In 2007, the phrase "one state under God" was added. The addition of "under God" has been challenged in court, though an injunction was denied. As of 2001 — amended 2017, recite the pledge by holding your head cover with your right hand and placing that hand over your heart; if in uniform, however, render a military salute. The Texas Pledge is always recited after reciting the pledge of allegiance to the American flag every morning in the majority of schools across the state.
The flag is required by law to be displayed on or near the main administration building of each state institution during each state or national holiday, and on any special occasion of historical significance, permanently above both doors of the Texas State Capitol, alone at the north door and under the U.S. flag at the south door, with the exception being if the flags are at half-mast or if the POW/MIA flag is being flown with the U.S. flag; in which event the Texas flag shall only fly at the north door. State law also requires that the state flag be flown at or near any international port of entry. When displayed vertically, the blue stripe should be at top and, from the perspective of an observer, the white stripe should be to the left of the red stripe.
Six flags over Texas
"Six flags over Texas" is the slogan used to describe the six nations that have had sovereignty over some or all of the current territory of the U.S. state of Texas: Spain (1519–1685; 1690–1821), France (1685–1690), Mexico (1821–1836), the Republic of Texas (1836–1845), the United States of America (1845–1861; 1865–present), and the Confederate States of America (1861–1865).
This slogan has been incorporated into shopping malls, theme parks — Six Flags — and other enterprises. The six flags fly in front of the state welcome centers on the state's borders with Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Mexico and Oklahoma. In Austin, the six flags fly in front of the Bullock Texas State History Museum; the Texas State Capitol has the six coats of arms on its northern facade and the University of Texas at Austin Life Sciences Library — previously the location of the central library in the Main Building — has each coat of arms displayed in plaster emblems with short excerpts representative of the constitutions of each country. The six flags are also shown on the reverse of the Seal of Texas.
Urban legend
It is an urban legend that the Texas flag is the only state flag that is allowed to fly at the same height as the U.S. flag. However, the legend is false. Neither the Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States nor the Ordinance of Annexation contain any provisions regarding flags. According to the United States Flag Code, any state flag can be flown at the same height as the U.S. flag, but the U.S. flag should be on its right (the viewer's left). Consistent with the U.S. Flag Code, the Texas Flag Code specifies that the state flag should either be flown below the U.S. flag if on the same pole or at the same height as the U.S. flag if on separate poles.
Similar flags
Texas's flag is similar to the flag of Chile, first used in 1817. However, the Chilean flag has a blue canton with a white star rather than the entire left side being blue. The red bottom stripe begins below the canton. The Chilean flag predates the Lone Star flag by 22 years.
The Republic of the Rio Grande flag was similar to Texas' only in that there were three stars with a red hoist, and black and white bars on the side instead of one star with a blue hoist and white and red bars. It is currently the flag of Laredo, Texas, its proposed capital.
The flag of North Carolina is similar to the flag of Texas; North Carolina's flag has the same basic pattern as Texas's; however, the colors of the fly are reversed. In addition, the star in the hoist is smaller and is surrounded by scrolls and lettering. The Lone Star flag predates North Carolina's current flag by 47 years.
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