Happy Flag Day.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring June 14 Flag Day. In 1949, Congress followed the proclamation enacting a statute that officially recognized Flag Day.
Flag Day is celebrated on June 14th because that was the day that Congress officially recognized it as the flag of the United States in 1777. Today also marks the birthday of the U.S. Army which congress authorized as “the American Continental Army,” on June 14, 1775.
Today is a national holiday, but you don’t get the day off work unless you live in Pennsylvania — that’s the only state that recognizes it as a legal state holiday. I guess that’s appropriate, since that’s where the flag was born.
The flag has been changed 27 times — the final star, for Hawaii, was added in 1960.
The flag is normally flown from sunrise to sunset, but the flag always flies at the White House, Fort McHenry, and the Iwo Jima memorial and the flag should never be flown at night without a light on it.
The first time the flag was flown after being adopted was on August 3, 1777 in Rome, New York.
The designer of the American flag was, not Betsy Ross, but Francis Hopkinson. Hopkinson was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag.
There are six American flags on the Moon. Five are standing, but the one planted by Neil Armstrong fell over — they are all probably bleached white due to radiation from the sun.
After certain tragedies, the flag is flown at half staff — usually for 30 days. It’s called “Half staff” on land, and “half mast” on a ship.
The flag code bans the use of the flag as clothing.
If you like to study flag, then you are a Vexillologist.
When displayed on a wall or window the blue field should be in the upper left corner.
The U.S. flag always flies at the top of a staff above any other flag.
The colors of the flag have important meanings: red symbolizes hardiness and valor, white symbolizes purity and innocence, and blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Even though today is flag day, we should honor our flag every day…. Ronald Reagan said, “When we honor our flag, we honor what we stand for as a Nation — freedom, equality, justice and hope.”
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