In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress, when they approved the design for its first national flag.
There are many claims as to the first official observance of Flag Day following the flag’s adoption in 1777. An event that included a celebration of the United States flag was held in Hartford, Connecticut in the summer of 1861. In the late 1800s, schools all over the United States held Flag Day programs to contribute to the Americanization of immigrant children. The observance gradually spread into communities across the country.
In 1885, Bernard Cigrand, a 19-year-old teacher in Waubeka, Wisconsin asked his students to write essays about the flag. Cigrand devoted the rest of his life attempting to gain national recognition and observance of Flag Day. William T. Kerr, a schoolboy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is credited with founding the American Flag Day Association in 1888. He is often referred to as the “Father of Flag Day”.
On June 14, 1889, George Bolch, the principal of a free kindergarten for the poor in New York City, had his school hold patriotic ceremonies to observe the anniversary of the Flag Day resolution. This initiative attracted attention from the State Department of Education, which arranged to have the day observed in all public schools thereafter.
The Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration on June 14, 1891. The New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution celebrated Flag Day in 1892. In 1893, the Society of Colonial Dames succeeded in getting a resolution passed to have the flag displayed on all public buildings in Philadelphia. More than 300,000 public school children celebrated Flag Day in Chicago on June 14, 1894. In 1897, the governor of New York ordered the displaying of the flag over all public buildings in the state, an observance considered by some to be the first official recognition of the anniversary of the adoption of the flag outside of schools.
Pennsylvania became the first state to establish June 14 as Flag Day and a legal holiday in May, 1937. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring June 14 be observed as National Flag Day. President Calvin Coolidge did the same in 1927. The United States Congress approved the national observance on August 3, 1949 and President Harry Truman signed it into law. All Americans are encouraged to fly U.S. flags during that week
The American Legion affirms the following protocol is flag etiquette for the space between two flags. When the flags are in place and posted, no person is to reach between the flags to hand or receive items from the speaker as this is “Hallowed Ground”. The person needs to approach the American flag, stop and render a salute or place hand over heart, and then proceed around the left side of the flag and behind the speaker.
Nolle Deas wrote the following poem honoring the space between two flags, titled ‘This Is Hallowed Ground’. “Why You Don’t Walk Between The Colors Between the flags that proudly fly? Let no one dare to stand For here our fallen comrades lie, We call it Hallowed Ground. A symbol, yes, but mark it well; Here let us ever humbly pause In Memory of the ones who fell In fighting for our sacred cause. On sea or land these buddies died. Some lie beneath a foreign sod In graves caressed by winds and tide, In spots unknown to all but God. And so this place is Hallowed Ground. And it shall be forever blessed, As though it were a grassy mound Beneath which gallant heroes rest Be ever watchful, Legionnaire. Of those two flags which signify That we should guard this spot with care Where our departed comrades lie. And, if a man should dare to tread This spot where lie our gallant brave, He desecrates those noble dead As tho he walked upon their grave.”
Johnny Cash’s ‘Ragged Old Flag’ rather sums up how the nation should be feeling about our ragged old flag and for a song released in 1974 it also rather sums up today’s atmosphere. “She’s been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused And the government for which she stands Is scandalized throughout the land And she’s getting threadbare and wearing thin But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in ‘Cause she’s been through the fire before And I believe she can take a whole lot more So we raise her up every morning We take her down every night We don’t let her touch the ground and we fold her up right On second thought, I do like to brag ‘Cause I’m mighty proud of that ragged old flag.”
If we reflect what 13 folds of a flag mean, it can create an uplifting experience. The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The second fold signifies our belief in eternal life.
The third fold is made in honor and tribute of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace.
The fourth fold exemplifies our weaker nature as citizens trusting in God; it is to Him we turn for His divine guidance.
The fifth fold is an acknowledgement to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”
The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.
The ninth fold is an honor to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty, and devotion that the character of men and women who have made this country great have been molded.
The 10th fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first-born.
The 11th fold, in the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The 12th fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost. The last fold, when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”
There is a National Flag Foundation who declares that our Flag was born in 1777 through the power of a revolution. “Out of that revolution came its meaning – liberty and justice for all – as a birthright for every American. They believe “We are a divided and opinionated country, yet we stand united by the fabric of this historic symbol – one country, one people, one flag. The Flag inspires confidence on sight as it stands for the courageous, unselfish experiences of our citizens as they protect our freedom here and throughout the world.”