The state flag of Rhode Island is the official flag of the State of Rhode Island, consisting of a white background and a gold anchor in the center (a symbol for hope) surrounded by thirteen gold stars (for the original Thirteen Colonies and Rhode Island's status as the 13th state to ratify the Constitution). A blue ribbon below the anchor bears the state's motto in gold: "HOPE". The flag is frequently depicted with golden fringe around the edges of the flag, although the fringe is never actually on the flag unless it is used in federal-level displays, much like the national flag.
The 2024 Rhode Island General Laws, Title 42, Chapter 42-4, ç 42-4-3, defines that the state flag shall be:
As early as the 1640s, the anchor and "hope" were found on the Rhode Island seal, and the seal's words and emblems were likely inspired by the biblical phrase "hope we have as an anchor of the soul," found in Hebrews 6:18-19. Rhode Island's earliest colonists were fleeing persecution in Massachusetts due to their religious beliefs.
On July 4, 1840 the first state flag was flown over the state house, its design is not known. During the Civil War the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry was given a state flag, it was made in California. The banner bore a blue field with the state's coat of arms and motto in the middle, all embroidered in sliver.
In 1875, a local Veterans association in Newport was given a flag. It was made by members of the Dr. Henry E. Truner's family, with the sewing done by Zena L. Hammond. It contain a blue field with state's coat of arms embroidered in gold.
The first official flag of Rhode Island was adopted on March 30, 1877. The flag had a white background, a red shield with a blue anchor in the center, the word HOPE inscribed thereon the shield, and 38 blue stars encircling the shield. It was displayed at the Battle of Kings Mountain Centennial in 1880. The inscription "Kings Mountain ; October 7, 1880" was later added to the flag.
The second flag of Rhode Island was adopted on February 1, 1882. This flag had 13 gold stars encircling a gold anchor on a blue field. The thirteen stars represented the original 13 states of the United States, of which Rhode Island was the 13th state.
This current flag was adopted on November 1, 1897, following the Rhode Island General Assembly January Session of 1897.
There are some design variations that are incorrect to the flag code. Most notably, most physical state flags use a rectangular size rather than the official 29:33 size. This is because the standard size on most flag printers is 3:5 and 2:3. Many physical flags in Rhode Island are commonly flown and displayed without a fringe or golden border at all, however some flags use a solid gold border to signify the gold fringe. Wikipedia used to display the Rhode Island flag with a solid gold border meant to be the gold fringe.
Some flag manufactures took earlier designs from Wikipedia and other sources which contained a gold border on three-sides representing the fringe of the flag, and produced physical flags with the not realizing that the gold border was meant to be fringe. It is common for some flags to have a blue trim around the stars and anchor, though this is not described in the flag code. The ribbon is sometimes depicted with a gold trim, though this is also not described in the flag code.
The State of Rhode Island, while it does not have county governments, the towns and cities of the State of Rhode Island have their own flags.
The standard of the governor of Rhode Island is a white flag with the Coat of arms of Rhode Island in the center of the flag with 4 blue 5-point stars. The standard of the governor is commonly flown at a proportion rate of 3:5 or 2:3.
The flag of New England and flag of the Rhode Island Regiment, are two examples of flags many houses throughout the state display the flag alongside the current flag, or in lieu of the state flag, or seen flying at home football games of the University of Rhode Island Rams.