Flag of Cuba

Last updated
Cuba
Flag of Cuba.svg
Bandera de la Estrella Solitaria [1] (Flag of the Solitary Star)
Use National flag and ensign FIAV 111111.svg FIAV normal.svg IFIS Mirror.svg
Proportion1:2 [2]
AdoptedMay 20, 1902;121 years ago (1902-05-20) [2]
DesignFive horizontal stripes of blue alternate with white with the red equilateral triangle based on the hoist-side bearing the white five-pointed star in the center.
Designed by Miguel Teurbe Tolón and Narciso López
Flag of the President of Cuba.svg
Use Flag of the president of Cuba FIAV normal.svg
AdoptedJanuary 15, 1904
The First Flag
Naval Jack of Cuba.svg
Use Naval jack FIAV normal.svg
AdoptedApril 10, 1869
National flags on El Malecon, Havana Cuba May 2014 (14153895015).jpg
National flags on El Malecón, Havana

The national flag of Cuba (Spanish : Bandera de Cuba) consists of five alternating stripes (three blue and two white) and a red equilateral triangle at the hoist, within which is a white five-pointed star. It was designed in 1849 and officially adopted May 20, 1902. The flag is referred to as the Estrella Solitaria, or the Lone Star flag. [1] It is in the stars and stripes flag family.

Contents

History and symbolism

Fighting against the Spanish Crown with the rebel armies of Venezuela, Narciso López moved from his native Caracas to Havana, Cuba. His involvement in anti-colonial movements forced him into exile. In 1849, he moved to New York City, United States, where he continued to advocate for an independent Cuba.

The three blue stripes represent the three departments in which Cuba was divided at that time; the white, purity of the patriot cause; and the red triangle, a symbol of strength, constancy, and Mason influences (triangles are Masonic symbols for equality and were found in a number of other flags in the former Spanish empire). [2]

The poet Miguel Teurbe Tolón designed the flag alongside Lopez, based upon the story of López's vision. Emilia Teurbe Tolón, Miguel's wife, sewed the first flag. López and Tolón, together with José Aniceto Iznaga Borrell, [3] his nephew José María Sánchez Iznaga, [4] Cirilo Villaverde and Juan Manuel Macías, settled upon the final design for the flag of Cuba: two white stripes, three blue, a red triangle, and a lone star.

López used this same flag in 1850 to carry out his coup attempt to liberate Cuba from Spanish rule, which resulted in failure. The coastal town of Cárdenas was the first town that saw the lone star flag hoisted on May 19, 1850, in the taking of the city by Cuban rebels.

A year after the start of the Ten Years' War, the first Constituent Assembly of the Republic of Cuba met arms in Guáimaro, Camagüey Province. The debate focused on two flags of great symbolism, the Demajagua – which was very similar to the Chilean flag – created by Carlos Manuel de Céspedes to give start to the war of independence, and the Lone Star of López, the latter being chosen since López had taken the first step for the freedom of Cuba. The Demajagua flag was not scrapped, but instead, was put in the sessions of the House of Representatives and retained as part of the national treasure.

On the morning of May 20, 1902, the day Cuba officially became an independent republic, Generalissimo Máximo Gómez had the honor of hoisting the flag on the flagpole of the castles of the Tres Reyes del Morro, Havana; therefore sealing with this act the end of the Cuban revolution, the end of struggle for Cuban independence, and at the same time justifying the sacrifice that so many offered to make this dream become reality.

Both the flag and the coat of arms were designed by Miguel Teurbe Tolón. The design of both specifications were established by decree of the first president of Cuba, Tomás Estrada Palma, on April 21, 1906. [5] The flag has remained unchanged since then, even during and after the 1959 Cuban Revolution, which established the present-day communist state of the Republic of Cuba.

In 2019, Cuba introduced the "National Symbols Bill". The official press release said the bill "would establish more flexible use of these items with a view toward promoting their greater presence in society, within a legally defined, respectful framework". [6] According to ADN Cuba, the bill states that the flag could be used "as a means of publicity only when the messages that are transferred contribute to fostering and developing patriotic values in people and to form a patriotic conscience of respect and veneration for them and for the historical tradition of the nation". [7] In August 2019, artists from the San Isidro Movement launched a campaign using the hashtag "#LaBanderaEsDeTodos" to protest against restrictions placed on the use of the Cuban flag by the Cuban government and the arrest of artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara under the new law. [8] [9] [10]

Subsequent use

In April 1869, López's flag was designated the national banner by the Congress of the Republic of Cuba. López's flag was the model for the flag of Puerto Rico adopted in 1895 by the Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico, a pro-independence group that worked under the auspices of the Cuban Revolutionary Party.

Cuban flag (blue and white stripes and red equilateral triangle with white star) Flag of Cuba.svg
Cuban flag (blue and white stripes and red equilateral triangle with white star)

After the United States seized Cuba from Spain during the Spanish–American War, the U.S. flag flew from January 1, 1899, until independence was granted. On May 20, 1902, the Cuban national flag was hoisted as a symbol of independence and sovereignty. It has been used ever since, remaining unchanged after the Cuban Revolution of 1959. During the revolution, Cuban president Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement created a party flag equally divided in red and black like the Angolan national flag usually in horizontal stripes and often with inscriptions, which is often flown on public buildings.

Specifications

Flag of Cuba (construction sheet).svg

The Cuban flag is at a length-to-width ratio of 2:1. [2] The blue (sky blue before 1959) and white alternating stripes are of equal width. The red chevron is in the shape of an equilateral triangle. The star within the chevron has a diameter that is 13 the length of the hoist. Its middle is halfway up the flag. [11]

Flag of Cuba.svg
Colors scheme
BlueRedWhite
Pantone 301485White
CMYK 100-74-0-44 [12] 0-94-94-20 [12] N/A
HEX #002590#CC0D0D#FFFFFF
RGB 0-37-144204-13-13255-255-255

Historical versions of the flag

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Chile</span> National flag


The flag of Chile consists of two equal-height horizontal bands of white and red, with a blue square the same height as the white band in the canton, which bears a white five-pointed star in the center. It was adopted on 18 October 1817. The Chilean flag is also known in Spanish as La Estrella Solitaria. It is the only flag in South America whose design was influenced by the flag of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the Philippines</span> National flag of the Philippines

The national flag of the Philippines is a horizontal bicolor flag with equal bands of royal blue and crimson red, with a white, equilateral triangle at the hoist. In the center of the triangle is a golden-yellow sun with eight primary rays, to represent the original eight provinces that rebelled against the Spanish during the 1896 Philippine Revolution. At each vertex of the triangle is a five-pointed, golden-yellow star, each of which representing one of the country's three main island groups—Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The white triangle at the hoist represents liberty, equality, and fraternity. A unique feature of this flag is its usage to indicate a state of war if it is displayed with the red side on top, which is effectively achieved by flipping the flag upside-down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Texas</span> Official flag of the U.S. state of Texas

The flag of Texas is the official flag of the U.S. state of Texas. It is well known for its prominent single white star which gives the flag its commonly-used name: "Lone Star Flag". This lone star, in turn, gives rise to the state's nickname: "The Lone Star State". The flag, flown at homes and businesses statewide, is highly popular among Texans and is treated with a great degree of reverence and esteem within Texas. Along with the flag of Hawaii, it is one of two state flags to have previously served as a national flag of an independent country. In 2001, the North American Vexillological Association surveyed its members on the designs of the 72 U.S. state, territorial, and Canadian provincial flags and ranked the Texas flag second, behind New Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cárdenas, Cuba</span> Municipality in Matanzas, Cuba

San Juan de Dios de Cárdenas, or simply Cárdenas, is a municipality and city in the Matanzas Province of Cuba, about 116 km (72 mi) by air [156 km (97 mi) by road] east of Havana. Cárdenas is the 15th most-populated Cuban city and the second most populated one not being a provincial seat, after Manzanillo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Argentina</span> National flag

The national flag of the Argentine Republic, often referred to as the Argentine flag, is a triband, composed of three equally wide horizontal bands coloured light blue and white. There are multiple interpretations on the reasons for those colors. The flag was created by Manuel Belgrano, in line with the creation of the Cockade of Argentina, and was first raised at the city of Rosario on February 27, 1812, during the Argentine War of Independence. The National Flag Memorial was later built on the site. The First Triumvirate did not approve the use of the flag, but the Asamblea del Año XIII allowed the use of the flag as a war flag. It was the Congress of Tucumán which finally designated it as the national flag, in 1816. A yellow Sun of May was added to the center in 1818.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Ecuador</span> National flag

The national flag of Ecuador, which consists of horizontal bands of yellow, blue and red, was first adopted by law in 1835 and later on 26 September 1860. The design of the current flag was finalized in 1900 with the addition of the coat of arms in the center of the flag. Before using the yellow, blue and red tricolor, Ecuador's former flag had three light blue stripes and two white stripes with three white stars for each province of the country.The design of the flag is very similar to those of Colombia and Venezuela, which are also former constituent territories of Gran Colombia. All three are based on a proposal by Venezuelan General Francisco de Miranda, which was adopted by Venezuela in 1811 and later Gran Colombia with some modifications. There is a variant of the flag that does not contain the coat of arms that is used by the merchant marine. This flag matches Colombia's in every aspect, but Colombia uses a different design when her merchant marine ships are at sail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Panama</span> National flag

The flag of Panama was made by María de la Ossa de Amador and was officially adopted by the "ley 48 de 1925". The Panamanian flag day is celebrated on November 4, one day after Panamanian separation from Colombia, and is one of a series of holidays celebrated in November known as the Fiestas Patrias.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Spain</span> National flag

The national flag of Spain, as it is defined in the Constitution of 1978, consists of three horizontal stripes: red, yellow and red, the yellow stripe being twice the height of each red stripe. Traditionally, the middle stripe was defined by the more archaic term of gualda, and hence the popular name la Rojigualda (red-weld).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Venezuela</span> National flag

The current eight-star flag of Venezuela was introduced in 2006. The basic design includes a horizontal tricolour of yellow, blue, and red, dating to the original flag introduced in 1811, in the Venezuelan War of Independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ten Years' War</span> 1868–1878 Cuban uprising against Spanish rule

The Ten Years' War, also known as the Great War and the War of '68, was part of Cuba's fight for independence from Spain. The uprising was led by Cuban-born planters and other wealthy natives. On 10 October 1868, sugar mill owner Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and his followers proclaimed independence, beginning the conflict. This was the first of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, the other two being the Little War (1879–1880) and the Cuban War of Independence (1895–1898). The final three months of the last conflict escalated with United States involvement, leading to the Spanish–American War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estelada</span> Flag typically flown by Catalan independence supporters

The Estelada is an unofficial flag typically flown by Catalan independence supporters to express their support for either an independent Catalonia or independent Països Catalans. The design of the Estelada comprises the red-and-yellow bars of the Senyera, with the addition of a five-pointed star in a triangle at the hoist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narciso López</span> Venezuelan-born adventurer and Spanish Army general

Narciso López de Urriola was a Venezuelan-born adventurer and Spanish Army general who is best known for his expeditions aimed at liberating Cuba from Spanish rule in the 1850s. His troops carried a flag that López had designed, which later became the flag of Cuba. Following his final failed attempt he was captured and garroted in Havana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Manuel de Céspedes</span> Cuban revolutionary soldier (1819–1874)

Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo was a Cuban revolutionary hero and First President of Cuba in Arms in 1868. Cespedes, who was a plantation owner in Cuba, freed his slaves and made the declaration of Cuban independence in 1868 which started the Ten Years' War (1868–1878). This was the first of three wars of independence, the third of which, the Cuban War of Independence led to the end of Spanish rule in 1898 and Cuba's independence in 1902.

Lieutenant Francisco Gonzalo Marín, also known as Pachín Marín, was a poet and journalist who fought alongside José Martí as a member of the Cuban Liberation Army. He is among those who are said to have designed the Puerto Rican flag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Western Sahara</span> National flag

The flag of Western Sahara, also known as the flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, uses a national flag consisting of a black, white and green horizontal tricolor charged with a red star and crescent in the center stripe and a red chevron at the hoist. It is used on SADR-controlled areas, while the Moroccan flag is used on the occupied parts of Western Sahara.

The chronology of the colonial time of Cuba is about the Spanish colonial period in Cuba, and the efforts to obtain independence from the Spanish Empire and includes history from the "discovery" of the island by Christopher Columbus to the Spanish–American War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Mexico</span> National flag

The national flag of Mexico is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War of Independence, and subsequent First Mexican Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Puerto Rico</span> Official flag of the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico

The flag of Puerto Rico represents Puerto Rico and its people. It consists of five equal horizontal stripes, alternating from red to white, with a blue equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bearing a large, sharp, upright, five-pointed white star in the center. The white star stands for the island, the three sides of the triangle for the three branches of the government, the blue for the sky and coastal waters, the red for the blood shed by warriors, and the white for liberty, victory, and peace. The flag is popularly known as the Monoestrellada (Monostarred), meaning having one star, a single star, or a lone star. It is in the Stars and Stripes flag family.

<i>Grito de Lares</i> flag Flag of the 1868 revolt in Puerto Rico

The Grito Lares flag, most commonly known as La Bandera de Lares , represents the Grito de Lares(Cry of Lares) revolt of 1868, the first of two short-lived rebellions against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico. It consists of a large white Greek cross in the center that extends to all four sides of the flag, dividing it into four equal rectangles, two red and two blue, the upper left of which bears a centered, five-pointed white star. The white star stands for liberty and freedom, the red rectangles for the blood poured by the heroes of the revolt, and the white cross for the yearning of homeland redemption. Established in Lares 27 years before revolutionaries adopted the current flag of Puerto Rico in New York, the flag is recognized as the first flag of the island.

References

  1. 1 2 Chacón, Hipólito Rafael (2020-08-17). "The Global Legacy of Cuba's Estrella Solitaria (Lone Star Flag)" (PDF). North American Vexillological Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-08-17. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Smith, Whitney. "flag of Cuba | Britannica". Britannica. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  3. Jorge Iznaga. JOSE ANICETO IZNAGA BORRELL Iznaga Genealogy (IZNAGA - 1420 - Present), Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  4. Jorge Iznaga. JOSE MARIA SANCHEZ IZNAGA Iznaga Genealogy (IZNAGA - 1420 - Present), Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  5. "Ley de 6 de enero de 1906 y decreto presidencial de 24 de abril del mismo año ; regularizando el uso de la bandera, escudo y sello de la República de Cuba". Latin American Pamphlet Digital Collection - CURIOSity Digital Collections. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
  6. Castro Morales, Yudy (March 21, 2019). "History preserved in our national symbols". Granma. Archived from the original on Jul 5, 2022.
  7. "Nueva ley de símbolos nacionales incluye prohibiciones de uso "en sayas, pañuelos y ropa interior"". ADN Cuba (in Spanish). 2019-07-10. Archived from the original on Feb 8, 2021. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  8. "Artistas independientes del Movimiento San Isidro lanzan reto #LaBanderaEsDeTodos". ADN Cuba. 22 Aug 2019. Archived from the original on Aug 26, 2022.
  9. Gómez, Shirley (August 14, 2019). "Why Placing Cuban Flag On Your Shoulders Could Take You To Jail?". Latin Times.
  10. Fusco, Coco (19 September 2019). "Cuba's Campaign Against Artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara". Hyperallergic . Archived from the original on Dec 26, 2022.
  11. "Symbols of the cuban nation". nacion.cult.cu. Archived from the original on Aug 11, 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
  12. 1 2 "Cuba flag color codes". FlagColorCodes.com. Archived from the original on Mar 9, 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-20.