Flags to be Flown at Half-Staff Honoring the Life of Dolly Parton

Gianforte Tuesday released the following statement on the passing of Dolly Parton:

“We join the nation and world in remembering Dolly Parton and mourning the loss of a global icon who dedicated her life to inspiring a love of reading in young children, leaving an incredible mark on millions of families across the nation and right here in Montana. Dolly’s warmth, generosity, and passion for learning have brought stories, joy, and opportunity into thousands of Montana homes. Her legacy as a champion for children will continue to inspire us all for generations to come.”

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted over 332 million free books operating in five countries. Each month, the Imagination Library mails over 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes. Every enrolled child receives one book per month up to age five, at no cost to families.

In June 2023, the first lady joined the Dollywood Foundation in announcing the statewide expansion of Imagination Library in Montana. Through the partnership, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides a free book each month to any Montana child, up to age five, who is registered with the organization.

Today, Imagination Library of Montana has 58 local program partners in all 56 counties serving nearly 30,000 children, about one in two of the state’s eligible children. To date, more than 970,000 books have been mailed in Montana since the program’s statewide expansion. A child may be registered at montanaimaginationlibrary.org.

Pursuant to President Donald J. Trump’s proclamation, Gov. Gianforte today ordered all flags in the state of Montana to fly at half-staff from Tuesday, August 25 at 6 p.m. MST until Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to honor the life of Dolly Parton.