If you looked out your window this morning and saw the stars and stripes sitting halfway down the pole, you probably felt that immediate, sinking "oh no" in your gut. It’s a visceral reaction. Usually, it means we’ve lost someone big or something tragic happened. But honestly, the answer to why are the flags half staff today isn’t always a national tragedy. Sometimes it’s a localized tribute you’d never know about unless you lived in a specific zip code.
Today, January 15, 2026, the situation is a mix of state-level honors and the lingering shadow of a massive national loss.
The National Picture: Honoring a Century of Service
Let's talk about the big one first. If you’re seeing flags at half-staff across the entire country, it’s almost certainly because of the ongoing 30-day mourning period for the late President Jimmy Carter.
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Presidential proclamations for a former Commander-in-Chief aren't short. When a former president passes, the U.S. Flag Code dictates that the flag stays at half-staff for exactly 30 days from the day of death. Because Carter was a titan of American history—the longest-lived president we’ve ever had—the federal order remains in effect until January 28. It doesn't matter if you're in a tiny town in Maine or a skyscraper in LA; that federal order covers everyone.
Why Your State Might Be Different
Flags are tricky. You might see one at half-staff at the post office but full-staff at the local car dealership. Why? Because governors have a ton of leeway.
Today, specifically, several states have issued their own orders that might overlap with the national one or stand on their own for state-owned buildings.
- Massachusetts: Governor Maura Healey has ordered flags to remain lowered through sunset today, January 15. This is a heavy one for the local community. It’s the day of interment for Uxbridge Police Officer Stephen LaPorta, who was killed in the line of duty earlier this month. When a first responder makes the ultimate sacrifice, the local grief is immense, and the flag reflects that.
- Louisiana: Down south, Governor Landry has directed flags to be lowered today to honor The Honorable Robert "Bob" Kostelka. He was a fixture in the state’s legal and political world, and in Louisiana, they take these tributes seriously.
- Arizona: Governor Katie Hobbs still has flags lowered in honor of former Attorney General Mark Brnovich.
It’s easy to get confused. You see a flag down and think there’s a new national crisis. Usually, it’s just a community saying a final, quiet goodbye to a public servant.
The "Hidden" Reason: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Actual Birthday
Here is something most people forget: today is January 15. While we celebrate the federal holiday on the third Monday of the month, today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s actual birthday.
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Now, technically, the Flag Code doesn't require half-staff for Dr. King's birthday (it’s usually a day for full-staff "brisk" hoisting). However, many private citizens and some local municipalities choose to lower their flags today as a personal or community mark of respect for his legacy. It’s not an "official" order in the legal sense, but it’s a very common sight in 2026 as people lean more into honoring the man on the specific day he was born.
Flag Etiquette: You’re Probably Doing It Wrong
If you’re a home-owner or business owner trying to keep up, there’s a specific "dance" to the flag that most people mess up.
Basically, you don’t just hoist the flag halfway and walk away. According to the U.S. Flag Code (4 U.S.C. § 7), you have to hoist the flag to the very peak for an instant and then lower it to the half-staff position. When you take it down at the end of the day? Same thing. You gotta pull it back to the top before lowering it all the way.
It’s about the "sober" movement. It’s meant to be a slow, deliberate process.
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How to Stay Informed Moving Forward
If you want to know the "why" without having to guess, here are the best ways to track this:
- Check the White House Briefing Room: This is where the President’s official proclamations live. If it’s a national order, it’s there.
- Your Governor’s Official Website: Most state sites have a "Flag Status" page. Massachusetts and Maryland are particularly good at keeping these updated in real-time.
- Sign up for alerts: There are actually "Flag Alert" services that will email you the second a proclamation is signed. It sounds nerdy, but if you manage a building, it's a lifesaver.
Understanding the status of the flag is really about understanding who we are grieving as a society at any given moment. Whether it's a local hero like Officer LaPorta or a global figure like Jimmy Carter, that piece of cloth is our loudest silent signal of respect.
To ensure you are always in compliance with the latest orders, check your specific state's executive department website, as gubernatorial orders often apply only to state-owned land while "encouraging" private citizens to follow suit. Stay observant of your local news for interment dates, as those are the most common reasons for one-day localized flag lowerings.