The table below includes APP documents issued by US President upon the death of a predecessor.  Practices have evolved substantially.

The earliest observances (see J. Q. Adam's 1826 Order noting the death of Thomas Jefferson) called primarily for members of the military to mark the event.  These practices included wearing mourning crape on their left arms for six months; troops parading and firing cannon; and placing the flag at half-staff for one day.

On several occasions in the 19th century, "all business" of executive offices was directed to be suspended for periods of varying lengths.  This is true upon the deaths of Adams, Polk, Taylor, Pierce, Fillmore, A. Johnson, Grant, Arthur, Hayes. 

In the early 20th century, it became customary for all governmental flags to be lowered to half-staff for a period of 30 days; but our collection does not include orders suspending business of the Executive Departments.  In 1954, President Eisenhower regularized the practice of observing a 30-day period with the flag at half-staff.

The current set of rituals are fully apparent by 1969 with the death of Dwight Eisenhower.  At that point President Nixon declared a day of mourning, closed all government departments on the day of the funeral, directed that flags be flown at half-staff for 30 days, and directed that suitable honors be rendered by units of the Armed Forces.  In several cases, however, this formula seems not to have been fully implemented (Hoover, 1964; Ford 2006).

The current practice requires issuing two separate orders.  First is a Proclamation announcing the death.  Second is an order providng for the closing of Executive departments and agencies on the date of the funeral.

This note has been updated and corrected on several occasions, most recently on 12/28/2018.