What is Flag Day?


“Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.” - Adlai Stevenson

 

In the military the practice of carrying the colors is a tradition thought to originate in Ancient Greece, where flags acted as a rallying point. In the heat of battle, surrounded by dust, smoke, and other chaotic distractions, soldiers needed a sign to keep them united – the flag was that sign. On June 14th, 1777, during the Revolutionary War, the Second Continental Congress “Resolved, that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” The flag – or “the colors” stands for our nation, our history, our values, and most importantly our love of freedom – it is a symbol that is meant to unite us.

The first official U.S. flag was flown on August 3rd, 1777, during the siege of Ft. Stanwix in New York. Reinforcements brought news of the resolution to the besieged colonial troops. Soldiers cut up their shirts to make the white stripes; scarlet material to form the red was secured from red flannel petticoats of officers’ wives, while material for the blue union was secured from an officer’s coat. From those humble beginnings over the past 245 years, we’ve added to the original constellation of stars, as our nation expanded west. The flag of the United States has become the universal symbol of freedom – a shining beacon of light in a dark world. 

In 1949, Congress directed the president through Title 36 of the United States Code, Subtitle I, Part A, CHAPTER 1, § 110 to proclaim June 14th of each year as Flag Day, building on a tradition started by President Wilson in 1916. While the official acknowledgement of Flag Day is relatively recent the idea of a holiday honoring our flag was first proposed shortly after the onset of the Civil War in 1861. George Morris proposed the city of Hartford, Connecticut, observe the anniversary of the adoption of the flag by creating a program of a patriotic order, praying for the success of the Federal arms and the preservation of the Union. The observance was not repeated, and it wasn’t until 1885 when a Wisconsin teacher, Bernard Cigrand, held the first formal observance of Flag Day. Throughout the 1880’s Cigrand spoke across the nation promoting patriotism, respect for the flag, and the need for the annual observance of a Flag Day on June 14. Cigrand’s work inspired others to create the “American Flag Day Association” in 1888. 

Inspired by Cigrand’s work, Sarah Hinson a teacher in Buffalo, NY, began conducting Flag Day exercises in 1891; teaching her children to children to salute the Flag and repeat the Pledge of Allegiance and instilling in her pupils’ proper respect for the nation’s flag. It was a decedent of Benjamin Franklin, Elisabeth Duane Gillespie, who made the first attempt at creating formal recognition of Flag Day, when in 1893 she petitioned the city of Philadelphia to require the American Flag to be displayed on all public buildings. 

The push to create a formal Flag Day observance took off in 1911, when the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks adopted a mandatory observance of Flag Day by every lodge – a requirement that continues to this day. In 1913 striking workers from the Paterson New Jersey Silk Factory carried the flag as they marched through town alongside a banner that read: “We weave the Flag; We live under the Flag; We die under the flag; But dammed if we’ll starve under the Flag.”

There have been 27 versions of the flag throughout our history. In 1912 President Taft standardized the size and proportions through the adoption of an executive order; in 1934 the exact shades and colors were standardized. There is no official meaning or symbolism attached to the flag’s design, or the color choices; however, Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, is credited with proposing that “White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue…signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice.” Regardless of the symbolism we attach to it, our flag has “been a silent witness to all of America’s finest hours” and her finest hours are yet to come. 

Every Tuesday at 9am ET, Wreaths Across America invites all Americans to join us in waving the American Flag to symbolize our commitment to freedom, equality, justice, and hope. Our Flag unites us, from its humble beginnings as a banner sewn from the shirts of soldiers – to its vantage point on the new frontiers of space, our flag represents the slow and steady commitment of generations of patriots to preserving the freedoms we hold so dear.


Joseph Reagan is the Director of Military and Veterans Outreach for Wreaths Across America. He has almost 20 years’ experience working with leaders within Government, non-profit, and Fortune 500 companies to develop sustainable strategies supporting National Security, and Veterans Health. He served 8 years on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army including two tours to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division. He is the recipient of multiple awards and decorations including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.