When was the current 50-star United States flag officially adopted?
Answer
July 4, 1960
The current 50-star United States flag was officially adopted on July 4, 1960.
The design added a 50th star after Hawaii became the 50th state in August 1959. Alaska had become the 49th state earlier that year, producing a short-lived 49-star flag. Under federal flag rules, a new design takes effect on the next July 4 after a state is admitted.
The flag retains 13 horizontal stripes, representing the original Thirteen Colonies. Its 50 white stars represent the states, arranged in nine alternating rows of six and five stars. The 1960 design is the longest-used official version of the U.S. flag.
The flag’s earlier milestones are often mixed up with its current adoption date. The first official U.S. flag legislation was passed on June 14, 1777, while the 13-star design dates from the Revolutionary era. June 14 is now observed as Flag Day, but it is not the adoption date of today’s 50-star flag.