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Flags at the White House

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Coordinates: 38°53′52″N 77°02′12″W / 38.89769°N 77.03656°W / 38.89769; -77.03656
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The U.S. flag atop the White House flying at half-staff in 2019 in honor of Elijah Cummings; the U.S. flag atop the White House is often flown at half-staff to commemorate certain events such as the death of important people.

The White House in Washington, D.C., is the official residence of the president of the United States. Being the official residence of the U.S. head of state, it flies the U.S. flag from a flagpole on its rooftop. The U.S. flag is flown there 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

History

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As the official residence of the U.S. head of state, the United States' national flag is permanently displayed from the White House's rooftop flagpole.[1][2] Contrary to popular misconception, that U.S. flag is not lowered or removed from the flagpole when the U.S. president departs from the building's premises, but remains flying.[2] This has been the case since September 1970, when then–U.S. president Richard M. Nixon mandated this practice on the suggestion of his wife and the then–U.S. first lady, Pat Nixon.[1]

Artistic depiction of a July 1918 event in which a Serbian flag was flown over the White House alongside the U.S. one in a show of wartime solidarity; the only non-U.S. flags to have ever been flown over the White House are those of Serbia and France.

Aside from the U.S. flag, other flags have occasionally been flown from the rooftop flagpole on the White House. The only foreign national flags to have been flown there are those of Serbia and France, the former flown alongside the U.S. flag in July 1918 as a show of solidarity by the United States towards the Serbian people during World War I, and the latter done in July 1920 to commemorate the French Bastille Day.[3][4][5][6][7]

The U.S. flag that is displayed on the rooftop flagpole on top of the White House is often lowered to half-staff on the direction of the U.S. president to commemorate a certain occasion or object, such as a person or persons significant to the United States who had recently died (such as prominent political figures like U.S. senators and members of Congress).[8][9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Byron, Jim (September 4, 2012). "9.4.1970 - The Flag Flies High » Richard Nixon Foundation". Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Flag Code FAQ part 1: general questions". www.ushistory.org. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  3. ^ "The Day When the Serbian and U.S. Flags Flew Together Over the White House". U.S. Embassy in Serbia. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  4. ^ "Amerikanci se dive Srbima: 'Zbog jednog od vas, na Beloj kući je pre 100 godina bila srpska zastava' (VIDEO)" ["'Americans admire Serbs:' Because of one of you, there was a Serbian flag 100 years ago at the White House"] (in Serbo-Croatian). Serbia: Telegraf.rs. July 22, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  5. ^ "SRPSKA ZASTAVA VIJORILA SE NA BELOJ KUĆI PRE TAČNO 100 GODINA: Evo kako je došlo do ovog istorijskog događaja" ["THE SERBIAN FLAG WAS FLOWN ON THE WHITE HOUSE EXACTLY 100 YEARS AGO: Here's how this historic event came about."] (in Serbo-Croatian). Serbia: kurir.rs. July 28, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  6. ^ ambasada, Američka (July 22, 2018). "Zahvaljujući jednom od vas pre sto godina zastava Srbije vijorila se iznad @WhiteHouse kao i na svim zgradama i javnim institucijama u glavom gradu SAD" [Thanks to one of you a hundred years ago, the Serbian flag hovers above @WhiteHouse and all buildings and public institutions in the US capital.]. Zahvaljujući jednom od vas pre sto godina zastava Srbije vijorila se iznad @WhiteHouse kao i na svim zgradama i javnim institucijama u glavom gradu SAD.
  7. ^ "VI STE SVET: Ambasada SAD u Beogradu odala počast Srbiji zbog izuzetnog doprinosa čovečanstvu" [YOU ARE THE WORLD: The US Embassy in Belgrade pays tribute to Serbia for its outstanding contribution to humanity]. kurir.rs. July 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2020. VI STE SVET: Ambasada SAD u Beogradu odala počast Srbiji zbog izuzetnog doprinosa čovečanstvu
  8. ^ "Presidential Proclamation on the Death of Elijah E. Cummings". whitehouse.gov – via National Archives.
  9. ^ "Proclamation on Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy in Virginia Beach, Virginia". whitehouse.gov – via National Archives.

38°53′52″N 77°02′12″W / 38.89769°N 77.03656°W / 38.89769; -77.03656

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