Flag Day in the United States: What is It?

My birthday happens to be on June 14. That is of no real consequence to anyone except that June 14 is Flag Day. As a young girl, I proudly spouted those words to anyone that would listen to me. "I was born on Flag Day. I was born on Flag Day." My elders would politely smile and nod, but their look that told me that they neither knew nor cared what I was talking about.

My best friend from elementary school and I ran into each other at a hair salon a few years ago. We were reminiscing about days gone by, and she said seemingly out of the blue, "Your birthday was on Flag Day, wasn't it?" I started laughing, and asked how she remembered something like that. She reminded me that I never let anyone forget such a monumental day.

Who has heard of Flag Day? Why is it on June 14? Why don't we get off a day off from work? Is anyone out there losing sleep because they are uninformed about Flag Day?

In the U.S., Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the United States flag. On June 14, 1977, The Second Continental Congress agreed to the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States.

Who established Flag Day as a holiday?

A number of men are maintained to have participated in the founding of a National Flag Day.

Possibly the most ardent declaration dates back to 1885. Schoolteacher, Bernard Cigrand stated that he urged his students in Fredonia, Wisconsin to observe June 14 as "Flag Birthday". He also wrote an article, "The Fourteenth of June" that was published in a Chicago newspaper. He promoted the idea of a Flag Day. By 1894, approximately 300,000 children were gathering in parks to celebrate the holiday.

William T. Kerr also claimed to be the founder of Flag Day. He lived in Pennsylvania for many years, and founded the American Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania in 1888. He also attended President Truman's signing of the Act of Congress in 1949. This established Flag Day as a formal holiday.

George Morris of Hartford, Connecticut, is oftentimes cited as a flounder of "Flag Day," The reason for this citing is an occasion of honor for the adoption of the American flag on June 14, 1777. The city of Hartford observed this day in 1861 by observing a patriotic program, praying for the victory of the Federal arms, and the safeguarding of the Union.

As I mentioned earlier, Flag Day is not an official federal holiday. By that I mean, all non-essential federal offices are closed and banks are usually closed. However, on June 14, 1937, Pennsylvania became the first (and only) U.S., state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday.

The very first observance of Flag Day was on June 14, 1877, just a mere 100 years after the adoption of the stars and stripes as the official flag for the U.S. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson decreed Flag Day as a national celebration.

Here is a bit of trivia for you. The largest Flag Day parade is held annually in Troy, NY. When President Clinton was in office, he proclaimed a Flag Week during 1996 (beginning June 9 1996). He asked citizens to display their flags with honor and pride for their country.

Now you already know we celebrate July 4, but a very important thing happened on June 14 as well. Don't you feel just a little more patriotic and intellectual?

Here's to Flag Day! Stars and Stripes Forever!