California State Colors

Blue and Gold

Adopted in 1931

The combination of blue and gold as official colors in California were first used as school colors by the University of California, Berkeley in 1875. Blue represented the sky and gold the color of the precious metal found by forty-niners in the state's hills. The Secretary of State began using blue and gold ribbons with the state seal on official documents as early as 1913. Secretary of State Frank M. Jordan suggested making blue and gold the official state colors and in 1951, the State Legislature passed legislation to that effect. In 1951, California Governor Earl Warren signed legislation making blue and gold the official State colors of California.

California State Color: Blue and Gold

California Law

The law designating the colors "blue and gold" as the official California state colors is found in the California Government Code, specifically Title 1, Division 2, Chapter 2, Section 422.7.

CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE
TITLE 1. GENERAL
DIVISION 2. STATE SEAL, FLAG, AND EMBLEMS
CHAPTER 2. STATE FLAG AND EMBLEMS
SECTION 420-429.8

424. The official colors of the State are blue and gold. The specifications, references, and designations for the official colors are as follows:

Specifications: National Bureau of Standards, Research Paper RP 1700.

International Commission on Illumination:
Blue: Y 0.063 x 0.204 y 0.165
Gold: Y 0.449 x 0.474 y 0.458

Munsell Renotation:
Blue: H V/C 7.3 PB 2.9/8.8
Gold: H V/C 2.0 Y 7.1/11.3

Munsell Book Notation:
Blue: H V/C 7.2 PB 2.9/9.1
Gold: H V/C 1 Y 7.3/11

References: Textile Color Card Association of New York, Inc. Blue: Yale Blue, cable number 70086, Standard Color Card of America, 9th edition. Gold: Golden Yellow, cable number 65001, United States Army Card of Official Colors for Arms and Services.

Designations: Inter-Society Color Council-National Bureau of Standards:
Yale Blue: Deep purplish blue.
Golden Yellow: Vivid yellow.