The History of the Puerto Rican Flag

The History of the Puerto Rican Flag 

John F. McKeon 

A national flag is more than a cut of fabric or hue of color; it is the embodiment of a  nation's history and of its values. A flag serves as a testament to collective struggles,  triumphs, and aspirations, and represents the shared identity and sovereignty of its  people. Through symbolism, flags encapsulate the sacrifices of the past while providing  a unifying beacon for future generations.  

Throughout its complex history, Puerto Rico has been under the sovereignty of different  powers, resulting in numerous flags—ranging from Spanish Royal standards to  revolutionary banners as well as the current US flag flying over the island. From the  first arrival of Spanish explorers to its status as an American territory and  Commonwealth, the island's evolution reflects its political transformations and ongoing  fight for self-determination. 

This article will focus on the key, transformative flags that have defined Puerto Rico's  history, starting with the arrival of the Spanish Empire in 1493, moving through the 1868  Grito de Lares Revolt, the 1895 adoption of the flag of independence, and concluding  with the post American invasion and official Commonwealth flag established in 1952. It  will also discuss the appearance of flags of protest and resistance against colonial  forces. 

The flag of Puerto Rico, known as La Monoestrellada (the mono-starred), was officially  adopted in 1895 by exiled revolutionaries in New York City. It features five alternating  red and white stripes, with a blue triangle bearing a white star. While first flown during  the 1897 Yauco revolt, it was outlawed by the US from 1898 to 1952, eventually  becoming the official Commonwealth flag in 1952. 

The Intentona de Yauco (Attempted Coup of Yauco), which took place on March 24–26,  1897, was the second and final major armed revolt against Spanish colonial rule in  Puerto Rico. Organized by the Puerto Rican Revolutionary Committee, it aimed to  secure full independence for the island, following the legacy of the Grito de Lares uprising of 1868. The uprising was primarily organized by Antonio Mattei Lluberas, a  wealthy coffee plantation owner, along with Mateo Mercado and Fidel Vélez. They were  supported by exiled leaders in New York, including some of those that fled after the  previous 1868 revolt. 

The insurrection was originally planned for December 1897, but when the mayor of  Yauco, Francisco Lluch Barreras, discovered the plot, leader Fidel Vélez forced an  immediate start on March 24.

On March 24, a small army of about 60–70 men gathered at Susúa Arriba. They  planned to attack the Spanish Civil Guard barracks to seize weapons but were  ambushed by Spanish forces and retreated after a brief firefight. A second attempt on  March 26 occurred when another group of roughly 50 men led by José Nicolás  Quiñones Torres and Ramón Torres attacked Spanish forces in the Quebradas barrio  but was also defeated. Over 150 rebels were arrested and imprisoned in Ponce.  However, they were eventually released under a general amnesty when Spain granted  Puerto Rico a Charter of Autonomy later that year in an attempt to pacify the island. Just over a year later, in July 1898, the first major land battle of the Spanish-American  War in Puerto Rico occurred in the same region, leading to the island’s annexation by  the United States. The revolt is famously known as the first time the current flag of  Puerto Rico (designed in 1895) was unfurled on local soil. 

The flag featured a white cross, two red squares, and two light blue squares with a  white star. On December 22, 1895, the Puerto Rican Section of the Cuban  Revolutionary Party in New York adopted the current design. It was reputed to be based  on the Cuban flag, but with inverted colors (white and red stripes, blue triangle) to  represent solidarity with Cuba's fight against Spain. The design is often credited to  Francisco Gonzalo Marín or Antonio Vélez Alvarado. Alvarado was a Puerto Rican  journalist, politician and revolutionary who was an advocate of Puerto Rican  independence. He is also known as ‘the Father of the Puerto Rican Flag’, with reports  indicating Maria Manuela "Mima" Besosa sewed the first one. The flag was first flown on  the island on March 24, 1897, during the "Intentona de Yauco" uprising against Spain. Following the Spanish-American War in 1898, the flag was forbidden being  displayed by the US authorities. 

In 1948 under the Gag Law or "La Ley de la Mordaza" (Law 53), it was a crime to own  or display the flag, or to speak in favor of independence. Law 53, was a repressive  statute signed in Puerto Rico on June 10, 1948, intended to silence the island's  independence movement. It criminalized owning or displaying the Puerto Rican flag,  singing patriotic songs, or advocating for independence. Violators faced up to 10 years  in prison or a $10,000 fine.The law was repealed in 1957, being found unconstitutional. The Commonwealth officially adopted the flag on July 25, 1952. While the 1952  adoption established a dark blue, a 1995 regulation permitted a return to the original  sky-blue shade. The design represents the blood of patriots (red), peace and victory  (white), the island's coastal waters/sky (blue triangle), and the island itself (white  star). The flag was adopted as the official banner of the Commonwealth on July 25,  1952.  

On August 3, 1995, the government of Puerto Rico issued "Reglamento sobre el Uso en  Puerto Rico de la Bandera del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" (Regulation No.  5282). This regulation confirmed the red, white, and blue colors but, crucially, did not  specify a particular shade of blue for the triangle, leading to the popular adoption of  medium blue over the previous dark navy blue The design represents the blood of  patriots (red), peace and victory (white), the island's waters (blue triangle), and the  island itself (white star)

The evolution of Puerto Rico’s flag encapsulates over a century of struggle for  sovereignty, identity, and political self-determination, transitioning from the revolutionary,  independence-driven design of the 1868 Grito de Lares and the 1895 Lares-influenced  flag (created in exile to mirror Cuba’s fight against Spain) to a potent symbol of  resistance against United States annexation, during which it was illegally flown and  widely persecuted.  

Three flags currently fly over the historic forts of San Juan National Historic Site—El  Morro (Castillo San Felipe del Morro) and Castillo San Cristóbal—representing Puerto  Rico's history: the United States flag, the Puerto Rican flag, and the Spanish Burgundy  Cross flag. These flags fly to represent the island's history as a US Commonwealth, its  own sovereignty, and its Spanish past. The US flag represents current sovereignty, the  Puerto Rican flag represents local identity, and the Spanish Burgundy Cross represents  the colonial Spanish military presence from 1516 to 1785.  

While the 1952 adoption as the official Commonwealth flag brought it into legitimacy— symbolizing the intersection of Puerto Rican heritage and US governance—the flag's  later adoption of sky-blue and, more recently, the radical black-and-white version,  proves it remains a fluid, living testament to the island's endurance and its ongoing fight  against colonial legacy. 

Kingdom of Castile and Leon Flag (1248 - 1516).The flag of Castile and Leon was the official flag of the Spanish autonomous community of Castile and Leon. It represented the two cultural identities who share this administrative region, the Castle for Castile, and the Lion for Leon. It consists of the quartered coats of arms of Castile, represented by a castle, and Leon, represented by a lion. Christopher Columbus used the ‘Royal Flag’, and his captains used another flags known  

as the Captain's Ensign ("La Capitana"). It was used to distinguish the ships under Columbus' command. It was not as rumored to be a personal, private flag belonging to him, but a sign of the fleet under his authority. The symbols the flag contains (the crowned F  and the crowned Y separated by a green cross) represent the crowned initials 'F' and 'Y'  for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. 

Spanish Burgundy Cross Flag (1506-1785) The saltire (cross) design resembles two crossed, rough branches. Known as the Cross of Burgundy, it was a symbol of Philip I, Duke of Burgundy and father of Charles I, who became Spain's king in 1516. This flag flew wherever there was a Spanish military installation, including La Fortaleza, Fort San Felipe del Morro, Fort San Cristobal and San Geronimo. The Cross of Burgundy flag is still flown alongside Puerto Rican  and US flags at Fort San Cristobal and Fort San Felipe del Morro. Various Spanish flags  representing the Crown's control, starting with Columbus's royal flag were used for  centuries. The flag was flown over Spain's colonial empire in the New World until 1785.

El Grito de Lares Flag (1868) 

The Grito de Lares flag was used on September 23, 1868 during the uprising in Puerto Rico against the Spanish government. It was designed by Dr. Ramon Emeterio Betances and embroidered by Mariana Bracetti. It was intended for the flag to become the flag of the Republic. The flag is still preserved at the  University of Puerto Rico. 

Puerto Rican Flag (1892-1995) The flag of Puerto Rico was designed in 1895 to  promote the ideal of Puerto Rican independence from Spain. It consists of five alternate red and white horizontal stripes with a single white five pointed star resting in a blue triangle. The three red strips symbolized the blood from the brave warriors, the two white stripes victory and peace after obtaining a short lived  independence, blue the sky and sea and the white star is the island. The design is the  same as the Cuban flag, but with the colors inverted.  

When Puerto Rico became an American territory, the Puerto Rican flag was outlawed  until 1952. Then, in 1952 Puerto Rico became a commonwealth, the flag was officially  adopted, but it symbolism was intentionally altered by the US to distance the flag from  its history. The blue was changed to a darker tone to make it similar to the American flag. The US government changed the original celestial (sky) blue to a dark navy blue to  match the shades used in the US flag. This was intended to symbolize Puerto Rico's  permanent association with the United States and its transition from a revolutionary past  to a ‘legal’ American-allied entity. By institutionalizing the flag, Governor Luis Muñoz  Marín co-opted a powerful symbol that had previously represented pro-independence  resistance. This move was viewed by nationalists like Pedro Albizu Campos as a  desecration and a deliberate ploy to weaken the independence cause within the party.  In 1995 the triangle color was changed again to sky blue. 

Various modern iterations, including the monochrome black flag representing protest  against the PROMESA law and political autonomy struggles or indigenous heritage of  the nation. Designs frequently symbolize concepts like freedom, justice, peace, or  equality. Other significant variations include the Nationalist flag (black/white) and  municipal flags. 

The black and white flag, often called the Resistance Flag, emerged in 2016 as a symbol of protest against the PROMESA Act (Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act), which placed the island’s finances under US Federal control. It represents mourning, resistance against colonialism, and a demand for autonomy. The  flag was popularized by the anonymous artist collective La Puerta. Originally painted on  a door in Old San Juan, it represents defiance against US-imposed fiscal control,  colonialism, and austerity measures following the economic crisis. The flag signifies a "dead" or mourning nation, yet acts as a tool for political mobilization as it embodies the  enduring spirit of resistance. It is frequently seen in protests, demonstrations, and as a  public art piece throughout Puerto Rico and the diaspora 

Puerto Rican flags are manufactured primarily in the US and on the Island using durable  materials like nylon and polyester, featuring sewn stripes and embroidered stars. Sales  are robust, driven by cultural pride in both Puerto Rico and with the US diaspora. While  historically light blue, modern, manufactured flags feature medium blue or royal blue. Sales of flags spike around the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC and other  cultural festivals, representing national pride and identity. A notable trend in recent years  is the rise of the "black and white" version, symbolizing resistance and struggle,  alongside the traditional red, white, and blue. 

The Puerto Rican flag is more than an emblem of nationality; it is a document of the  struggle for autonomy. The Flag has survived colonization, forced silence, and the Gag  Law's attempts to erase it. From the 1868 Grito de Lares flag to the modern black-and white ‘resistance flag,’ these colors have served as a symbol of defiance and  declaration of identity. As the flag flies across the island and the diaspora, it continues to  act as a rallying cry. Once deemed a criminalized badge of treason has now become a  reminder of the relentless push for a truly self-determined future. 

Historian John F. McKeon lives on St. Croix and Southampton NY.  He holds degrees from Trinity College Dublin,(MPhil with  Distinction). St. Joseph's University in NYC (BA Summa Cum Laude  Degree) East Asian History with a Philosophy Capstone Minor in  Labor, Class and Ethics, John earned a certificate from the Oxford  University Epigeum Research Integrity Center. He is a member of  the Society of Virgin Island Historians.