Delaware State Flag

What Is the Delaware State Flag?

The Delaware state flag is the official banner representing Delaware. A field of colonial blue covers the entire flag. A buff-colored diamond sits centered on the field.

The state coat of arms appears inside the diamond. The coat of arms shows a shield with a wheat sheaf, corn, and an ox. A farmer and a soldier stand on either side. A ship sails above. The motto Liberty and Independence runs below the shield.

The date December 7, 1787 appears in white below the diamond. Government buildings, schools, and public locations across Delaware fly this flag.

Meaning of the Delaware State Flag

The Delaware state flag represents the state's role as the first to join the Union and its agricultural heritage. Each element carries specific meaning tied to Delaware's history.

The buff diamond represents Delaware's nickname as the Diamond State. Thomas Jefferson compared Delaware to a diamond, small but valuable. The colonial blue and buff colors reflect the uniform of General George Washington.

The coat of arms elements symbolize Delaware's economy. The wheat, corn, and ox represent agriculture and animal husbandry. The ship represents shipbuilding and coastal trade. The farmer represents agriculture. The soldier represents citizens protecting freedom. The date December 7, 1787 marks Delaware as the first state to ratify the Constitution.

History of the Delaware State Flag

Delaware regiments flew a flag during the American Civil War similar to the current state flag. The design showed the state coat of arms on a blue field. In 1910, the USS Delaware received a state flag from the Daughters of the American Revolution. It bore the state coat of arms on a blue field and measured around 4 by 5 feet.

A commission group designed the current flag. Delaware adopted it on July 24, 1913. This is the only official state flag Delaware has ever flown.

The coat of arms in the center was adopted on January 17, 1777, during the Revolutionary War. In 1946, Governor Walter Bacon gave Denmark a variant with a golden diamond instead of buff to celebrate rebuilding a park near Aalborg. In 1954, the National Bureau of Standards determined exact color shades through colorimetric specifications. These specifications were filed with the Delaware Public Archives in Dover.

Symbols of the Delaware State Flag

Delaware State Flag Diamond

A buff-colored diamond sits centered on the colonial blue field. The state coat of arms appears inside the diamond.

The diamond represents Delaware as the Diamond State. Thomas Jefferson gave Delaware this nickname, comparing the state to a diamond: small but valuable. The buff color comes from George Washington's military uniform.

Delaware State Flag Coat of Arms

The coat of arms shows a shield with horizontal orange, blue, and white stripes. A wheat sheaf, corn ear, and ox standing on grass appear on the stripes. A sailing ship sits above the shield. A farmer with a hilling hoe stands on the left. A soldier with a rifle stands on the right.

The coat of arms was adopted January 17, 1777. The wheat, corn, and ox represent Delaware's agriculture and animal husbandry. The ship represents shipbuilding and coastal trade on the Delaware River. The farmer represents agriculture. The soldier represents citizens protecting freedom.

Delaware State Flag Motto

The motto Liberty and Independence appears on a banner below the shield in the coat of arms.

This motto represents Delaware's commitment to freedom and self-governance. The phrase also appears in Delaware's state song, Our Delaware.

Delaware State Flag Date

The date December 7, 1787 appears in white lettering below the buff diamond.

This date marks when Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution. Delaware's prompt ratification earned it the nickname The First State.

Delaware State Flag Colors

The Delaware state flag uses colonial blue and buff as its primary colors. These are Delaware's official state colors. The coat of arms uses additional colors for specific details.

Colonial blue covers the background field. Buff colors the diamond. The colors were inspired by George Washington's military uniform. The Delaware Public Archives specifies exact shades through Munsell and Pantone color systems. The coat of arms uses gray-brown, brown, red-brown, red, flesh, orange, yellow, green, blue, silver, gray, and white for various elements.

Delaware State Flag Facts

• Delaware adopted its state flag on July 24, 1913
• The flag is the only official state flag Delaware has ever flown
• The coat of arms was adopted on January 17, 1777
• The colors reflect George Washington's military uniform
• December 7, 1787 marks Delaware as the first state to ratify the Constitution
• The flag ranked 52nd in a 2001 North American vexillological survey