Why Are Flags Flown at Half-Staff in Times of Mourning?
The White House flag is flying at half - staff to mourn the passing of Nelson Mandela . This has become a well - recognise symbol of interior grieving , but where did the tradition develop , and how does the decision to let down the flag work ? How did the tradition of fly the flag at half - stave get started?It ’s tough to say , but the sometime commonly accepted character reference to a half - staff masthead dates back to 1612 , when the maitre d' of the British shipHeart ’s Easedied on a journeying to Canada ....