Facts about Flag Day

Happy birthday, American flag!

What's the story behind , anyway? To help you celebrate your stars and stripes, Patch offers these Flag Day facts.

Timeline of Flag Day
June 14, 1777: Congress adopts the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States.

June 14, 1885: Bernard J. Cigrand, a Wisconsin teacher, placed a 10-inch, 38-star flag in a bottle on his desk and assigned essays on the flag and its significance.

June 14, 1891: The Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia hosts a Flag Day celebration.

May 30, 1916: President Woodrow Wilson issues a proclamation calling for a nationwide observance of Flag Day.

August 3, 1949: President Harry Truman signs an Act Of Congress designating the 14th day of June every year as National Flag Day. 

June 14, 2004: The 108th United States Congress votes unanimously on H.R. 662 that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County, WI.

Timeline facts courtesy of NationalFlagDay.com and USFlag.org.

Red, White and Blue Meaning

• The stripes represent the 13 original colonies.
• The 50 stars represent the number of states.
• The colors of the flag have meaning, as well: Red symbolizes Hardiness and Valor; White symbolizes Purity and Innocence; Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice.

Meaning courtesy of PBS America Responds.

Proper Display

• The flag should be displayed from sunrise to sunset. If the flag is displayed at night it should be illuminated.
• Never allow the flag to touch the ground or the floor.
• When displayed on a wall or window the union (stars) should be in the upper left corner.
• The flag should be raised quickly and lowered ceremoniously.
• The flag is often flown at half-staff to show respect for someone who's died. When flown at half-staff, the flag should be raised to the top for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should also be raised to the top before it is lowered at the end of the day.

Proper display courtesy of PBS America Responds.

Retiring a Flag
If your flag is worn and ready to be retired, then you can contact your local VFW Chapter and ask for help properly disposing of your flag - or your local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops could also can provide this service.

Retiring a Flag Courtesy of History.org.

Jessica Carreras provided the information.