Honoring Dorothy Height — Historical Half-Staff Proclamation, 2010

Historical notice: this observance has ended. This independent FORTISVEX resource preserves a past presidential directive; it is not a government notice.

Honoring a lifetime of work for equality

Dorothy Height's public service connected the struggle for racial equality with the work of women and communities. In his April 20, 2010 statement, President Obama recalled her forty years leading the National Council of Negro Women and her continuing commitment to a more inclusive country. The statement placed her life within the history of the civil rights movement, while also recognizing the people who knew and loved her.

The half-staff proclamation that followed was a brief, formal act of respect. It did not attempt to tell her full life story. At her April 29 funeral service at Washington National Cathedral, Obama returned to the theme of service, presenting her example as a responsibility that others could carry forward. These commemorations provide context for the flag order without changing its terms.

What the flag order required

Proclamation 8504 directed half-staff display on the day of Height's interment until sunset. It covered the White House, public buildings and grounds, military posts, naval stations, and federal naval vessels in the District of Columbia, the United States, and its territories and possessions. It also applied for the same period to United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

The document identifies the observance by the day of interment; it does not print a calendar date for that event or a numerical start time. The funeral-service date is separately documented, but this archive does not substitute it for an unverified interment date. April 26 is the formal proclamation date, and April 30 is its Federal Register publication date.

Full official proclamation text

Proclamation 8504 of April 26, 2010 — Death of Dorothy Height
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

As a mark of respect for the memory of Dorothy Height, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that, on the day of her interment, the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset on such day. I further direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same period at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

Official federal proclamation text from Federal Register page 22691. Page headings and line wrapping are omitted for readability; the signature is represented by the name above.

Verify the official documents

Read or download the official proclamation PDF from GovInfo · Read the Federal Register record

Background: President Obama's April 20 statement · April 29 funeral-service remarks.

Find related historical directives in the Presidential Half-Staff Archive.

Signature page from the official published proclamation

Select the published page to open the official PDF.

Preparing a remembrance display

Explore U.S. flags at FORTISVEX when choosing a flag for your location. Review the specific product's material, size, and attachment details for a suitable display.