Dr. José Morales Callazo taught in a Minnesota high school. Hailing from Puerto Rico, he had a Puerto Rico flag on his classroom wall. The school board, responding to a complaint about a Pride flag, told him to take down the Puerto Rico flag. Only U.S. and Minnesota flags could be displayed, the school board said. The ruling followed four months of debate, and Morales Callazo resigned after the decision.
Some observers said the controversy reminded them of the 1948 gag law, Law 53, a territorial (not federal) law which made possession of a Puerto Rico flag — in Puerto Rico — illegal. The law was rescinded in 1957, but some observers believe that there are still lingering effects. One is a strong connection between Puerto Rican pride and flying the flag. Just as Texans show their colors with the Texas state flag, Puerto Ricans enjoy showing their flag, too.
So could the state of Puerto Rico keep the flag?
Perhaps because of the historical tensions, people sometimes ask whether Puerto Rico will be able to keep the traditional flag after statehood. The short answer is yes. Every state has a flag of its own. Check out the state flag of Maryland, flying with the U.S. flag in the photo below.
The state flag of Maryland takes its design from the family crest of Lord Baltimore, the original owner of the colonial land. That’s not a very American choice, but it is Maryland’s nod to their early history.
The state flag of Ohio isn’t even a rectangle — it has a swallowtail effect going on, with two triangular points.
And the state flag of California clearly says, “California Republic,” which California was briefly before becoming a state.
These three mavericks show an important fact about state flags. They show the history and the character of the state. There are no rules requiring states to follow specific rules in the design of their flags. Each state has a different history and character. Each state’s citizens feels pride for their particular flag.
Puerto Rico will be no different.
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