Earn your degree, advance your career, secure your future – all online. University of Phoenix is a true innovator in distance education. Their Business, Technology, Criminal Justice, Nursing, and Education degree programs are designed specifically for busy professionals. Imagine earning the degree you've always wanted – from home, at work, or while traveling. Click here to learn more.
State Flag
Adopted in 1896.
The State flag of New Jersey is buff colored. The buff color of this flag represents the coats of the uniforms that General George Washington and New Jersey troops wore during the Revolutionary War. The state coat of arms is emblazoned in the center. The shield has three plows with a horse's head above it. Two women represent the goddesses of Liberty and Agriculture. A ribbon at the bottom includes the year of independence in 1776 and reads: Liberty and Prosperity. The New Jersey state flag was formally adopted in 1896.
The following memorandum appears in the Minutes of the New Jersey General Assembly for March 11, 1896 on page 347: "The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. Mr. (Charles F.) Hopkins (of Morris County) offered the following memorandum, which was read: On March 23rd, 1779 during the war of the Revolution, the Continental Congress, by resolution authorized and directed the Commander-in-Chief to prescribe the uniform, both as to color and facings, for the regiments of the New Jersey Continental Line. In accordance with this resolution, General Washington, in General Orders dated Army Headquarters, New Windsor, New York, October 2nd, 1779, directed that the coats for such regiments should be dark blue, faced with buff. On February 28th, 1780, the Continental War Officers in Philadelphia directed that each of said regiments should have two flags, viz: one the United States flag and the other a State flag, the ground to be of the color of the facing. Thus the State
flag of New Jersey became the beautiful and historic buff, as selected for it by the Father of His Country, and it was displayed in view of the combined French and American armies in the great culminating event of the War of the Revolution, the capitulation of a British army under Lieutenant General Earl Cornwallis at Yorktown. The same color has been prescribed for the state flag of New York, where a law requires it to be displayed with the United States flag over the capital when the legislature is in session. The inquiry arises, why did General Washington select the beautiful historic buff facings exclusively for the Continental lines of New York and New Jersey when such facings were only prescribed for his own uniform and that of other Continental general officers and their aides-de-camp? He evidently made the selection not only designedly, but for historic reasons. New York and New Jersey had originally been settled by the Dutch. Dark blue (Jersey blue) and buff were Holland or
Netherlands insignia. The Governor as commander-in-chief represents the State of New Jersey, and should have a prescribed headquarters flag, different from that used by infantry, cavalry or artillery. In custom, every state Governor has one, but the propriety of an enactment on the subject is obvious. Mr. Hopkins, on leave, introduced Assembly Joint Resolution No. 2 to define the state flag. Under Chapter 170, P.L. 1965, the official colors of New Jersey for use on the state flag and for other purposes were established by statute as buff and Jersey blue.Assembly Joint Resolution No. 2THE STATE FLAG
The New Jersey state flag is defined and described in
Joint Resolution No.2 of 1896, which reads as follows:
Joint Resolution to Define the State Flag
1. BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and General Assembly of the
State of New Jersey:
The State flag shall be of buff color, having in the
center thereof the arms of the State properly emblazoned
thereon.
2. The State flag shall be the headquarters flag for the
Governor as Commander-in-Chief, but shall not supersede
distinctive flags which are or may hereafter be prescribed
for different arms of military or naval service of this
State.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.Chapter 170, P.L. 1965CHAPTER 170, LAWS OF N.J.
Approved September 30, 1965
SENATE, NO. 159
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Introduced February 15, 1965
BY SENATOR FARLEY
AN ACT establishing the official colors of the State of New
Jersey.
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State
of New Jersey:
The official colors of the State of New Jersey for use
on the state flag and for other purposes shall be buff and
Jersey blue.
For the purposes of this act the specifications,
references and designations for the official colors of the
State are as follows:
Jersey Blue (Cable No. 70087, royal blue. The Color
Association of the United States, Inc.)
Buff (Cable No. 65015, U.S. Army buff. The Color
Association of the United States, Inc.)
University of Phoenix
