Flags Are Flying at Half-Staff to Honor Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter

President Joe Biden signed a proclamation on Tuesday ordering all American flags to be flown at half-staff beginning Nov. 25 “as a mark of respect for the memory” of former first lady Rosalynn Carter.

Rosalynn, former President Jimmy Carter’s norm-shattering wife, died Nov. 19 at age 96, days after her family announced she was entering hospice care. She was diagnosed with dementia in May.

Joe Biden, Michelle Obama and others mourn Rosalynn Carter: ‘She will always be in our hearts’

Biden, 81, said in a statement that flags would be flown at half-staff “at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, on all military and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the federal government.”

The president also ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at all US embassies, consulates, consular offices and other foreign facilities.

The flag tribute, which began Saturday morning, will continue until sunset on the day of Rosalynn’s funeral, Wednesday, November 29.

Rosalynn Carter will be buried at the family residence in Georgia after lying in state next week

First Lady Rosalynn Carter and President Jimmy Carter. Universal History Archive/Getty

Why are flags flying at half mast?

United States flags are flown at half-mast—or at half-mast, on a ship—when the nation is in mourning, often after the death of a government official or member of the military, after a fatal attack or public tragedy, or on days of national remembrance. The long-standing tradition has unclear origins, but is considered a sign of distress and respect.

A federal law passed by Congress in 1942 formally gave the president the authority to order flags at half-staff and half-staff and set guidelines for how long flags should be flown on various occasions.

Rosalynn Carter’s portrait is getting a more prominent display at the White House as a tribute to the late first lady

There is no specification for how long the flag should fly after the former first lady’s death, leaving it up to President Biden to determine the appropriate length of time to mourn Rosalynn Carter. His order most closely follows the guidelines for the death of a Supreme Court justice, cabinet secretary, governor, former vice president or former speaker of the House of Representatives: lowering the flag from the day of death until the funeral.

Biden waited until after the Thanksgiving holiday week to order flags at half-staff for Rosalynn, shortening the mourning period but still allowing her to be honored longer than late members of Congress, whose deaths prompted a maximum of two days of flags flying at half-staff. spears. (After the death of former President Jimmy Carter, who was in the hospital for nine months and recently turned 99, American flags will be flown at half-staff for a full month, according to the flag code.)

Since state and local flags must fly below the United States flag at all times, all other government flags should also be flown at half-staff between Saturday and Wednesday.

President Joe Biden confirmed that he and the first lady will attend a memorial service for Rosalynn Carter in Georgia

The Bidens visit the Carters at their longtime home in Plains, Georgia in 2021. Adam Schultz/AP/Shutterstock

The legacy of Rosalynn Carter

In his half-staff proclamation, President Biden remembered Rosalynn for her lifelong leadership and tireless dedication to the causes that mattered most to her.

“Rosalynn Carter exemplified hope, warmth and an unwavering commitment to do all she could to address many of our society’s greatest needs,” he said.

“She was an advocate for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and well-being for all; and a supporter of the often unseen and undercompensated caregivers of our children, elderly loved ones, and people with disabilities.”

How Rosalynn Carter’s focus on carers fits into the larger theme of her ‘enduring’ mental health activism

First Lady Rosalynn Carter chairs a meeting in Chicago as honorary chair of the President’s Commission on Mental Health in April 1977. HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty

Biden also touched on the Carters’ enduring love during their 77-year marriage. “Above all, the deep love that Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter share is the definition of partnership, and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism,” he said.

Rosalynn Carter never knew life without Jimmy — she met her future husband as a newborn

In a statement following his wife’s death, former President Carter reflected on having Rosalynn by his side as a constant support.

“Rosalynn has been my equal partner in everything I’ve ever accomplished,” he said. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew someone loved and supported me.”

Rosalynn is to be commemorated next week with a series of private and public events in Georgia, culminating in a funeral service and burial at the Carter family home in Plains.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education