June 14, 2018

Today, June 14, is Flag Day in the United States. The celebration is in memory of the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. Flag Day is not an official national holiday. But the president traditionally proclaims a public Flag Day observance every year.

The United States flag stands for the land, the people, the government, and the ideals of the United States. Credit: © Grebeshkovmaxim/Shutterstock

A nation’s flag represents the country’s land, people, government, and ideals. A country’s flag can stir people to joy, to courage, and to sacrifice. Special rules for display and care have grown up around people’s wish to honor their nation’s flag. The earliest national flags date back to ancient Egypt, China, and Persia, when types of flags called standards were attached to the tops of poles.

Egyptian soldiers of the 3000′s B.C. carried standards like the one at left (a falcon perched on a pole). By 1500 B.C., the Chinese military used such flags as the red-and-white banner shown at right. Credit: WORLD BOOK illustrations

On Flag Day in the United States, people display the flag on their homes, businesses, and public buildings. Some schools honor the flag with special programs. These programs may feature discussions of the flag’s origin and meaning. Many patriotic organizations hold parades and other Flag Day demonstrations.

Flag Day celebrates the adoption of the United States flag in 1777, when the two flags above were accepted. Credit: WORLD BOOK illustrations

Flag Day was first widely observed in 1877 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the flag’s selection. Some people suggested that Flag Day be observed each year. In 1897, the governor of New York proclaimed a Flag Day celebration for the first time as an annual event in that state. President Woodrow Wilson established Flag Day as an annual national celebration in 1916. In 1949, President Harry S. Truman officially recognized June 14 as Flag Day by signing the National Flag Day Bill.