Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut - Historical Half-Staff Archive

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

A national expression of mourning for Newtown

President Obama's Proclamation 8917 honors the victims of violence in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012. Signed that day, the document orders a flag tribute as a mark of respect. Its brief text focuses on the mourning period and the places covered, without recounting the tragedy or naming individual victims.

The historical record is preserved here in full, with the official published signature page and verification links. The explanation below addresses how to read the directive's dates and scope; it does not turn the past observance into a current flag instruction.

The period and places named in the directive

The proclamation specifies half-staff display through sunset on December 18, 2012, at the White House, public buildings and grounds, military posts, naval stations, and federal naval vessels in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories and possessions. It extends the same period to United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

The source does not state a numerical starting hour. December 14 is the formal proclamation date, while the Federal Register publication followed on December 19, after the stated endpoint. That later publication does not extend the mourning period or make December 19 the date of the directive.

Full official proclamation text

Proclamation 8917 of December 14, 2012 — Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that 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, December 18, 2012. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time 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 fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

Official federal proclamation text from Federal Register page 75359. 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

Browse related historical notices 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 each product's size, material, and attachment details for a suitable display.