New Jersey Flag Facts

Colors

New Jersey's state flag can trace its colors back to George Washington. In 1780 Washington, then a General in the Revolutionary Wars, chose dark blue and buff as the colors for the regimental flags and uniforms of the New Jersey Continental Line. He was probably influenced by the historical settlement of Dutch people in the New York and New Jersey areas---dark blue and buff being the colors of the Netherlands.

In the center of the flag are the symbols of the state seal. Like all state seals, the symbols represent aspects of the state and its history. In New Jersey's case, the three ploughs on the shield symbolize the agricultural tradition of the "Garden State." To the right of the shield, Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain, also represents abundance, and holds a cornucopia full of produce. To the left stands the goddess Liberty. The seal also includes the state animal, the horse, in the form of a horse's head above the central shield

The flag may have been designed by Francis Hopkinson, a member of the Continental Congress, or by the artist Pierre Eugène du Simitière. Although the flag has its origins in the 1770s, the current version was officially adopted on March 26, 1896. A clarification in the law made it available for everyone to fly in 1938.

The state seal used on the flag has undergone several minor changes since it was first designed. The figure representing Liberty originally held her staff in the crook of her arm, rather than in her right hand. Both female figures originally looked sideways, away from the shield, rather than straight ahead, while the cornucopia held by the goddess Ceres was originally held upside down with its open end pointing toward the ground.

The state flag flies from the state house flagstaff while the Senate or House of Assembly is in session, and also when the Governor is present for state business. It also flies between sunrise and sunset on all national holidays. At the Governor's discretion, it may be flown at half-mast when a member of law enforcement or emergency services is killed undertaking their duties. In these cases, the flag flown to honor the dead person is presented to their family.