Flag of Rhode Island

Last updated

State of Rhode Island
Flag of Rhode Island.svg
Use Civil and state flag FIAV 110000.svg FIAV normal.svg IFIS Mirror.svg
Proportion29:33
AdoptedNovember 1, 1897;127 years ago (1897-11-01)
DesignA gold anchor, surrounded by 13 gold stars, on a field of white. A blue ribbon below the anchor contains the text "hope"; Argent an anchor above a ribbon Azure with the word Hope, all surrounded by thirteen mullets.
Fringed Design
Flag of Rhode Island (Fringed).svg
Use Civil and state flag
Proportion29:33

The state flag of Rhode Island is the official flag of the State of Rhode Island, consisting of a white background and a gold anchor in the center (a symbol for hope) surrounded by thirteen gold stars (for the original Thirteen Colonies and Rhode Island's status as the 13th state to ratify the Constitution). A blue ribbon below the anchor bears the state's motto in gold: "HOPE". The flag is frequently depicted with golden fringe around the edges of the flag, although the fringe is never actually on the flag unless it is used in federal-level displays, much like the national flag.

Contents

History

As early as the 1640s, the anchor and "hope" were found on the Rhode Island seal, and the seal's words and emblems were likely inspired by the biblical phrase "hope we have as an anchor of the soul," found in Hebrews, Verse 6:18-19. [1] Rhode Island's earliest colonists were fleeing persecution in Massachusetts due to their religious beliefs.

State flag

The Rhode Island state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series. Rhode Island Bicentennial 13c 1976 issue.jpg
The Rhode Island state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series.

The first flag of Rhode Island was adopted on March 30, 1877. The flag had a white background, a red shield with a blue anchor in the center, the word HOPE inscribed thereon the shield, and 38 blue stars encircling the shield. [2]

The second flag of Rhode Island was adopted on February 1, 1882. This flag had 13 gold stars encircling a gold anchor on a blue field. The thirteen stars represented the original 13 states of the United States, of which Rhode Island was the 13th state. [2]

This current flag was adopted on November 1, 1897, following the Rhode Island General Assembly January Session of 1897. [2]

Historical flags

Statute

The state of Rhode Island enacted legislation making this the official flag:

§ 42-4-3 State flag. – The flag of the state shall be white, five feet and six inches (5'6") fly and four feet and ten inches (4'10") deep on the pike, bearing on each side in the center a gold anchor, twenty-two inches (22") high, and underneath it a blue ribbon twenty-four inches (24") long and five inches (5") wide, or in these proportions, with the motto "Hope" in golden letters thereon, the whole surrounded by thirteen (13) golden stars in a circle. The flag shall be edged with yellow fringe. The pike shall be surmounted by a spearhead and the length of the pike shall be nine feet (9'), not including the spearhead. [3]

Design variations

There are some design variations that are incorrect to the flag code. Most notably, most physical state flags use a rectangular size rather than the official 29:33 size. This is because the standard size on most flag printers is 3:5 and 2:3. [4] Many physical flags in Rhode Island are commonly flown and displayed without a fringe or golden border at all, [5] however some flags use a solid gold border to signify the gold fringe. Wikipedia used to display the Rhode Island flag with a solid gold border meant to be the gold fringe. [6]

Some flag manufactures took earlier designs from Wikipedia and other sources which contained a gold border on three-sides representing the fringe of the flag, and produced physical flags with the not realizing that the gold border was meant to be fringe. It is common for some flags to have a blue trim around the stars and anchor, though this is not described in the flag code. The ribbon is sometimes depicted with a gold trim, though this is also not described in the flag code. [4]

Variation ImageVariation Description
Flag of Rhode Island.svg The official variation of the flag displayed at the official 29:33 size, with no trim around the ribbon or stars. This is displayed as a variation, as while the official flag of Rhode Island, [7] it is still only one variant of the Rhode Island flag used by Rhode Islanders, the State of Rhode Island, and government officials. This flag has also come printed in a 3:5 and 2:3 format with the standard size on most flag printers, and to match the flag of the United States, which is commonly printed or embroidered in sizes other than the official 10:19.
Flag of Rhode Island (According to RI Flags LLC).svg A gold anchor, surrounded by 13 gold stars, with the stars and anchor containing a blue trim on a field of white. A blue ribbon with a golden trim is displayed below the anchor contains the text "hope"; Argent an anchor above a ribbon Azure with the word ''Hope'', all surrounded by thirteen mullets. This design has been branded by marketers as meeting the official specifications of the State of Rhode Island, however is commonly printed in a 3:5 canvas than the official 29:33 proportion ratio. [8]
The state flag of Rhode Island.jpg A 3D-design gold anchor surrounded by 13 gold stars with thin blue trims, with a high definition blue ribbon with a golden trim is displayed below the anchor contains the text "hope". This misattributed design is marked as the official flag of Rhode Island by Encyclopædia Britannica, with many using this design for the official flag than the official design. [9] This design has been used and seen used by Rhode Island government officials, [10] [11] however it is not the official design to Rhode Island's official government website and other government sources. [12] [7]
Flag of Rhode Island (with fringe).svg This variation of the flag uses the same anchor and ribbon design as the official design, however uses thicker 5-point starts and a digital printed fringe, or golden border, rather than an actual fringe. This design for a timeframe made headlines of Rhode Island Friday Flagging on a blog article called "RI’s Yellow “Border” and Wikipedia’s Influence on Civic Design," with the origin of the misprinted design originating from the fringe being displayed on Wikipedia with the flag before being removed. [4] [13]

Other flags

Regional flags

The State of Rhode Island, while it does not have county governments, the towns and cities of the State of Rhode Island have their own flags.

Standard of the governor

Standard of the governor of Rhode Island Flag of the Governor of Rhode Island.svg
Standard of the governor of Rhode Island

The standard of the governor of Rhode Island is a white flag with the Coat of arms of Rhode Island in the center of the flag with 4 blue 5-point stars. The standard of the governor is commonly flown at a proportion rate of 3:5 or 2:3.

Flags associated with Rhode Island

The flag of New England and flag of the Rhode Island Regiment, are two examples of flags many houses throughout the state display the flag alongside the current flag, or in lieu of the state flag, or seen flying at home football games of the University of Rhode Island Rams.[ citation needed ]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Howard M. Chapin notes published in "Illustrations Of The Seals, Arms And Flags Of Rhode Island," (Rhode Island Historical Society, Providence: 1930) pg 4-5.
  2. 1 2 3 "Rhode Island (U.S.)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
  3. ↑ Rhode Island State Laws: § 42-4-3 State flag (accessed January 5, 2009)
  4. 1 2 3 Howard, Samuel Gifford (2021-10-29). "Friday Flagging: RI's Yellow "Border" and Wikipedia's Influence on Civic Design". Rhode Island Liberator. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
  5. ↑ USA, State Symbols (2014-09-15). "Rhode Island State Flag". statesymbolsusa.org. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
  6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Rhode_Island.svg&offset=&limit=500
  7. 1 2 RI.gov. "RIGOV". www.ri.gov. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
  8. ↑ "Rhode Island State Flag | Nylon or Poly". Liberty Flagpoles. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
  9. ↑ "Rhode Island | Map, Population, History, Beaches, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 2025-08-21. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
  10. ↑ "Governor Raimondo outlines metrics for reopening the Rhode Island economy - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
  11. ↑ "Rhode Island Housing Discrimination: Legislative Agenda and Support for Affordable Homes". upriseri.com. 2020-01-29. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
  12. ↑ "Flag of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | District of Puerto Rico | United States District Court". www.prd.uscourts.gov. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
  13. ↑ collection 2.7, Xrmap flag (1897), English: Flag of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , retrieved 2025-08-24{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ "Historical Flags of Our Ancestors - Flags of the American Revolution Era". Pete's Gateway. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  15. ↑ David B. Martucci. "The New England Flag". midcoast.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
  16. ↑ "Historical Flags of Our Ancestors - Flags of the Early North American Colonies and Explorers". Pete's Gateway. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "New England flags (U.S.)". CRW Flags. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
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