Fly your flag today – and every day
Americans should fly our nation’s flag every day at their homes and businesses. But it is especially important to fly it today, June 14, the national Flag Day. The flag of our nation represents freedom and has been an enduring symbol of our nation’s ideals since the earliest days of these United States. The U.S. flag reminds Americans of unity and in the great cause of liberty and justice for all.
The origins of Flag Day go back to the Revolutionary War. It was on June 14, 1777, that the Continental Congress officially adopted the “Stars and Stripes” as the banner of the United States.
The resolution stated, “The flag of the United States shall be 13 stripes, alternate red and white, with a union of 13 stars on a blue field.” Of course, the 13 stars and stripes represented the 13 American colonies which had united to declare independence from Great Britain.
At first, a new star and a new stripe was added with each new state joining the federal union. However, it soon became apparent that this method would be impractical, since there would be dozens of new states added over time. In 1818, Congress adopted the final design for the flag, which would retain the original 13 alternating red and white stripes, and add one new star in the blue canton for each state that joined the Union.
Louisiana became a state on April 30, 1812 — the 18th star in the national constellation. Formed from the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the Territory of Orleans was established in 1804. The name was changed to the Territory of Louisiana, before it formally joined the Union.
It wasn’t until the 20th century that an official flag code was adopted, at the behest of veterans and patriotic organizations.
The Americanism Committee of the American Legion held a conference in 1923 with delegates from 72 patriotic organizations to adopt a universal flag code.
Then, on Dec. 22, 1942, Congress adopted Public Law 829, to enact a federal flag code.
The next step was to designate national Flag Day, which was done by Congress Aug. 3, 1949, and requested on June 9, 1966 that the president issue an appropriate proclamation on that day annually.
Fly your flag proudly today, and don’t be shy about flying it every day of the year.
(Royce Bair /Associated Press)