Composition
The New York flag features a field of deep blue charged with the state coat of arms, centered.
New York
The New York flag, one of unusually wide proportion, follows a common pattern for U.S. state flags, featuring the state coat of arms on a field of blue.
It spotlights many images seen in other state seals and flags like the goddess Liberty, Phrygian cap, and bald eagle, among others.
An original version of the flag was adopted in 1788, but the current iteration was officially adopted April 2, 1901.
Iconography
Liberty
the goddess Liberty, freedom
Justice
the goddess Justice, fighting tyranny
phrygian cap
liberty
toppled crown
freedom from England after the Revolutionary War
scales
justice and equality under the law
eagle & globe
Europe and the Americas, the meeting of two worlds
Hudson River
natural beauty, commerce by waterway
motto
Ever Upward, progress
Coat of Arms
The New York coat of arms was originally designed in 1777 and officially adopted on March 16th, 1778 (a few months before statehood).
A commission was appointed in 1880 to standardize its presentation.
Colors
The prominent color is a deep blue, with supporting colors within the coat of arms.
New York statute does not provide Cable or Pantone values for the colors of the flag.The hex values here are approximations.
Blue
#002d72
White
#ffffff
Red
#ff3515
Gold
#f2a900
Light Blue
#0077c8
Green
#2c5234
Tan
#d18644
Construction
The New York flag is usually produce with a proportion of 1:2.
Previous iteration
The New York flag previously had a field of buff, matching the color of troop uniforms. In 1901 it was changed to a field of blue to better follow the design of other military flags.
Sources
- Howe, Randy. Flags of the Fifty States: Their Colorful Histories and Significance. Guilford: The Globe Pequot Press, 2002. Print.
- Mitchell, Henry. The State Arms of the Union. Boston: L. Prang & Co, 1876.
- New York State Library
- States101
- Flags of the World
- Coat of Arms of New York - Wikipedia