Honoring the Memory of Dolly Parton

President Donald J. Trump ordered the United States flag flown at half-staff following the death of country music icon Dolly Parton. The proclamation applies to the White House, federal buildings and grounds, military posts, naval stations and federal vessels throughout the United States and its territories. It also covers American embassies, consular offices and military facilities abroad. The tribute continues until sunset on September 1, 2026. The proclamation does not specify a 6:00 p.m. starting time.

Parton died peacefully in Nashville on August 25 at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer. Born in Sevier County, Tennessee, she rose from a modest childhood in the Smoky Mountains to become one of the most celebrated artists in American music. Her seven-decade career included enduring songs such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You,” along with prominent film roles in 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Steel Magnolias. She earned 11 Grammy Awards, was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Dolly Parton’s official memorial.

Beyond music and entertainment, Parton was widely admired as a businesswoman, humanitarian and advocate for children’s literacy. She founded Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in 1995 after being inspired by her father, who never learned to read or write. The program has distributed more than 300 million free books to children from birth through age five around the world. Her charitable work also supported education, healthcare, pediatric cancer research and disaster relief, leaving a legacy defined as much by generosity as by her music.