History of the flag, seal and pledge of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

The Kentucky National Guard Played Central Role in Development of Kentucky's State Flag

Flag of Ky | Seal of KY | Pledge of Allegiance to KY

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Artwork of KY Flag

On March 26, 1918 the Kentucky Legislature passed an act authorizing and creating an official state flag, 126 years after statehood and the adoption of the state seal which appears on the flag. The State flag Act was drawn up by Mrs. Sam Shackleford, of Frankfort, and introduced in the House of Representatives on February 19, 1918 by Dr. J. E. Lilly, of Union County. The flag was designated to be of navy blue silk or bunting, with the seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky encircled by a wreath of goldenrod, embroidered, printed or stamped on the center thereof. Dimensions could vary.

The first official state flag was made in early 1920, and used on March 30 at Camp Zachary Taylor in Louisville, when the colors of the 84th Division were turned over to Governor Edwin P. Morrow by Major General Charles P. Summerall through Robert Worth Bingham. The flag had been hastily constructed, and not very artistic in design. Mrs. W. B. Hoke of Louisville was chairman of the committee to have the flag made, and Mrs. James B. Camp furnished the design. The Bryan Pleating Company of Louisville manufactured it.

Following the ceremony in 1920, Mr. Credo Harris of Louisville was sent the flag by Kentucky's Adjutant General James M. DeWeese to have something done to make it better in a few details. Mr. Harris called in the leading artists of Louisville and they met in the studio of Charles Sneed Williams. In a letter dated March 2, 1921, Mr. Harris wrote, The men thereupon took pencils, paper, and with an ear harking to the legislative bill I read them in regard to a state flag, began their work of remodeling. These results were passed around, discussing and criticizing, until finally we all agreed upon a combination of three drawings that really promised a beautiful result. One of the men was delighted to make the complete drawing in colors, and this I was to send to General DeWeese, or the Governor, for approval. This was somewhere about the last of May, and the thing isn't finished yet. Nothing ever resulted in this attempt to make a better design, and the original flag was placed in the custody of the Kentucky Historical Society.

Orignal KY Flag courtesy Kentucky Historical Society

Detail of Seal Courtesy Kentucky Historical Society

In 1961, Major Taylor L. Davidson, while serving on the staff of Major General Arthur Y. Lloyd, The Adjutant General of Kentucky, took it upon himself to do something about the Commonwealth’s official colors. He, with the blessing of Governor Bert Combs and General Lloyd, consulted with the Kentucky Historical Society and traced every history of early designs for the flag. Mr. Harold Collins, artist with the Kentucky Department of Public Information, was asked to produce three designs in color, which he did. The best features of the three designs were selected and concurrence was obtained from the Governor. A final color original was purchased from a Louisville artist upon the request of Major Davidson. After much consultation, the colors and design were accepted and Major Davidson drafted a new bill; describing the flag in detail. The Kentucky General Assembly enacted this bill into law during its 1962 session, and Section 2.030 Kentucky Revised Statutes, became the legal authority for the State flag. A line drawing of the flag was submitted with the bill and was printed in the statute, being the first and only illustration to grace the pages of Kentucky’s statutes.

The following is the original pledge of allegiance to the flag of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

To the flag blue and gold of Kentucky State,
We pledge our allegiance, and now consecrate
Our efforts in making this truth known to all –
“United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”

On March 29, 2000, the Kentucky General Assembly approved a new pledge of allegiance to the flag of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

KRS 2.035 Pledge of allegiance to state flag.

The following shall be the official pledge of allegiance to the flag of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
“I pledge allegiance to the Kentucky flag,
and to the Sovereign State for which it stands,
one Commonwealth, blessed with diversity,
natural wealth, beauty, and grace from on High.”

Old Style State Seal

The official seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky was adopted on December 20, 1792, six months after statehood. The seal is a simple rendition of two men, one in buckskin, and the other in more formal dress. The two men are facing each other and clasping hands. The outer ring of the seal is adorned with the words, “COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY”, and within the inner circle the motto, “UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.” The official act of the Kentucky General Assembly stated: “Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that the Governor be empowered and is hereby required to provide at the public charge a seal for this Commonwealth; and procure the same to be engraved with the following device, viz.: ‘Two friends embracing, with the name of the state over their heads and around about the following motto: United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Thus was born the basic emblem that would later adorn the official flag of the Commonwealth. A precise history of the heraldic meaning of the emblem is not available. Over the past two centuries various versions have pictured both men dressed in buckskin, or both in formal dress, men with and without hats, men with beards, men with wigs, and hand clasps that have ranged from a simple handshake to full embrace.

As to the motto, that matter is somewhat more distinct. It seems as though Governor Isaac Shelby, Kentucky’s first governor, and a veteran of the American Revolution, had a fondness for a ballad written in 1768 by a Maryland patriot, John Dickinson, entitled, LIBERTY SONG, which included these four stirring lines:

Then join hand in hand,
Brave Americans all,
By uniting we stand,
By dividing we fall.

The seal of the Commonwealth shall have upon it the device, two (2) friends embracing each other, with the words, "Commonwealth of Kentucky" over their heads and around them the words, "United We Stand, Divided We Fall."