No. 045 · Rainbow and umbrella
Seven-stripe rainbow flag (1978)
The short-lived seven-stripe rainbow from 1978 and 1979, made when hot pink fabric could not be found in quantity.
- Creator
- Gilbert Baker
- Introduced
- 1978
- Design
- 7 stripes
- License
- License not yet verified
What the colors mean
Red #FF0000
Life.
Orange #FF8E00
Healing.
Yellow #FFFF00
Sunlight.
Green #008E00
Nature.
Turquoise #00C0C0
Magic and art.
Indigo #400098
Serenity.
Violet #8E008E
Spirit.
History
Gilbert Baker's first rainbow flags flew at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade on June 25, 1978, with eight stripes. Once demand grew, hot pink fabric was too hard to find, so the flag was made with seven stripes from 1978 to 1979.
In 1979 turquoise was dropped and indigo became royal blue, giving the six-stripe rainbow flag still used today.
Questions and answers
What do the colors of the Seven-stripe rainbow flag mean?
Red: Life. Orange: Healing. Yellow: Sunlight. Green: Nature. Turquoise: Magic and art. Indigo: Serenity. Violet: Spirit.
Who created the Seven-stripe rainbow flag?
Credited to Gilbert Baker, 1978.
What are the Seven-stripe rainbow flag hex codes?
#FF0000 (red), #FF8E00 (orange), #FFFF00 (yellow), #008E00 (green), #00C0C0 (turquoise), #400098 (indigo), #8E008E (violet).
Can I download the Seven-stripe rainbow flag?
Not from this site. License not yet verified. We are confirming the usage terms for this design. Until then it is shown for reference only.
Download
License not yet verified. We are confirming the usage terms for this design. Until then it is shown for reference only.
We only offer downloads for flags that are public domain or openly licensed. How we handle licensing.
Where to buy
Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, My Pride Flag earns from qualifying purchases.
Related flags
Sources
- Gay men's flags, Wikipedia
Last reviewed 2026-10-31 by Erika Castillo, editor. Spot an error? Suggest a correction.