The state flag of the U.S. state of West Virginia was officially adopted by the West Virginia Legislature on March 7, 1929. Its design consists of a pure white field bordered by a blue stripe with the coat of arms of West Virginia in the center, wreathed by Rhododendron maximum and topped by an unfurled red ribbon reading, "State of West Virginia." It is the only state flag to bear crossing rifles, meant to illustrate the importance of the state's fight for liberty during the American Civil War as the southern unionist 35th state.
Symbolism
The current state flag of West Virginia consists of a pure white field bordered on four sides by a stripe of blue. The white of the field symbolizes purity, while the blue border represents the Union. The center of the state flag is emblazoned with the state's coat of arms, a stylized version of the Great Seal of West Virginia.
American Civil War
thumb|Digital reconstruction of a handmade 35-star statehood flag, c. 1863.
Prior to West Virginia's separation from Virginia on June 20, 1863, pro-Union supporters in western Virginia created unique flags to show their support for the Union cause. In January 1861, the residents of Kingwood erected a flagpole measuring about in height, and on it they hoisted a handmade streamer with the word "UNION" prior to Virginia's secession. During the war, western Virginia regiments in the Union Army carried flags handmade by supportive women, as was the case with the Fifth Regiment Virginia Volunteer Infantry who carried a flag bearing the legend "5th Va. Regiment" in 1861.
left|thumb|Regimental flag of the [[13th West Virginia Infantry Regiment|13th West Virginia Infantry]]
thumb|133px|A version of the [[Great Seal of the United States|United States national emblem]]
In January 1864, the West Virginia Legislature approved a flag for the Fourth Regiment West Virginia Volunteer Infantry to acknowledge the regiment's battles at Charleston, Vicksburg, Jackson, and Missionary Ridge, all four of which were listed on the flag. This was the first among many battle flags to represent West Virginia after statehood which were utilized by soldiers of West Virginia regiments throughout the war. On the reverse side, the United States national emblem was painted and consisted of a bald eagle with its wings outstretched, clutching a bundle of 13 arrows in its right talon and an olive branch in its left, and a tricolor shield placed across its breast. In lieu of an official state flag, the commission adopted and used a state flag of its own design at the West Virginia building at the exposition, which was a "sprig of mountain laurel upon an immaculate white field with a pale blue border". Because the state lacked an official flag, Boggs commissioned a workaround: a regular national flag bearing the state's coat of arms.
1907 flag
By 1907, the West Virginia Legislature found the 1905 state flag design to be completely unfeasible due to the lettering on one side reading toward the staff, and the differing colors on each respective side showing through the opposite side of the flag's white field of cloth. The state legislature found that this destroyed "the distinctive features of the banner and leaving the state without a prescribed official flag".
In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members and other flag enthusiasts on the designs of the 72 U.S. state, U.S. territorial, and Canadian provincial flags. Members ranked the West Virginia state flag at 51 out of the 72 flags surveyed.
Usage and protocol
thumb|right|The West Virginia state flag as depicted in the 1976 bicentennial postage stamp series.
The West Virginia Legislature has passed a series of laws in the West Virginia Code governing the usage of the West Virginia state flag. The state flag is not permitted to be placed above, or if on the same level, to the right of the United States flag. Both the United States and West Virginia state flags are to be flown over the West Virginia State Capitol building year-round. Any United States or West Virginia state flag purchased with state funds must be manufactured in the United States; and West Virginia county boards of education must only purchase state flags manufactured in the United States if board building funds are used. To honor the death of law-enforcement officers within the state, the West Virginia Code permits the draping of the state flag over the coffin at no cost, upon the request of the next-of-kin.
The state flag's proportions are identical to those of the flag of the United States.
However, such laws are unenforceable as the United States Supreme Court in Texas v. Johnson, , and reaffirmed in U.S. v. Eichman, , has ruled that due to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, it is unconstitutional for a government (whether federal, state, or municipality) to prohibit the desecration of a flag, due to its status as "symbolic speech."
Pledge of allegiance
On February 8, 1977, the office of the Secretary of State of West Virginia unanimously adopted the "Pledge of Allegiance to the West Virginia State Flag." The motion to adopt the pledge was made by Charles S. Smith and seconded by Carol J. Calvert. One proposed design was sent by a lady named Mrs. Miller. It had stripes of green, white, black, drab, and blue. With a red canton bearing the state's coat of arms in gold. In November they selected a design that measured 3 x 9 feet. It bore 4 stripes of red and buff, with a white canton. In the middle of the canton was the state's coat of arms in gold. The banner was made by a lady from Monroe County. A little silk flag displaying the design was pinned to the flag report. The design was later sent to state legislature with a symbolic vote on the house floor. Although the flag was never officially adopted with no funds being set aside for production of the banner.<gallery widths="300" heights="200">
File:Flag of West Virginia (1875).png|Digital reconstruction of the state flag from 1875
File:Flag of West Virginia (1900).png|Digital reconstruction of state flag ordered by Boggs, 1900
</gallery>During the Spanish-American War, the 2nd West Virginia infantry was given a state flag. It bore the state's coat of arms with the name of the regiment, the flag was purchased with funds raised by a group of women from Charleston.
In 1900, a state flag was sent to the Waldorf Hotel in New York City to be displayed at a fundraiser for orphan's of Charleston. It was later sold at auction, it contain the coat of arms of the state on its field. This got the idea that a state flag should be adopted although it would take 5 years for the idea of a state flag to become popular with the public. It also inspired the private secretary of the Governor, a man named Boggs to go to Cincinnati and ordered a state flag. It was described as a National flag with the state's coat of arms in the canton.