Flag Day: America's Day to Honor Old Glory

On June fourteenth we will celebrate Flag Day. What is Flag Day and why is it a holiday? Flag Day celebrates the anniversary of the creation of an official flag for the United States. It was June 14, 1777. It had been almost a year since the colonists had declared their independence from England. It had not been an easy year for this new government and it was still feeling its way in the great experiment.

The Continental Army was in the field fighting to give birth to a new nation and the Continental Congress would give them a flag to rally behind. The flag would have thirteen stripes alternating in red and white to represent the thirteen colonies. There would be thirteen stars representing the colonies as a new constellation; united and independent. The colors were boldly chosen red for valor and strength, white for purity and innocence, and blue for vigilance and justice.

At this point history is a bit unclear. Though we give Betsy Ross credit for creating the first American Flag we are not absolutely certain of that. Present information does indicate that a representative of the Continental Congress named Francis Hopkinson designed the flag and Betsy Ross brought his design to life.

What is quite impressive is that Flag Day is a home grown holiday. It is speculated that the first celebration of Flag Day was orchestrated by a Wisconsin school teacher at Stony Hill School in Waubeka, Wisconsin in 1885. The day was recognized by more schools and, after many years, towns began to hold ceremonies. In 1947 President Harry S. Truman made Flag Day an official holiday.

Since that first flag the design was changed many times. Each time a state joined the union a new star was added and the star field was redesigned. I am old enough to remember the forty-eight star flag. I was in fifth grade when Alaska and Hawaii joined the union. It was a big deal in the small city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania when the new flags came out. Flag Day was always a great day in my childhood. When Flag Day came we had just started or we were about to start summer vacation. Putting out the flag was a happy chore.

Old Glory is a wonderful name for the flag of our country. It inspired Francis Scott Key, it was carried bravely into battle, and it warms the heart of every American that gazes upon it. Our flag has seen hard times. Desecrations and burnings of our dear symbol have happened on our soil. It angers many while others say it is their right. I will not join that debate but I will say I am proud to be in a country where such a debate can be held openly.

Specific facts for this article were taken from the article OLD GLORY - THE HISTORY AND ETIQUETTE OF THE AMERICAN FLAG at http://www.pbs.org/capitolfourth/flag.html and from Encarta at http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761595962/Flag_Day.html.