On Jun. 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed an act establishing an official flag for the new nation. The resolution stated: “Resolved, that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” It is the anniversary of that day 247 years ago. We celebrate every Jun. 14.
The concept was as popular as the first Hartford Civic Center roof, which collapsed and landed on the Civic Center floor. Morris’s idea collapsed with the ideas of other (Union) states.
Decades after Morris, in 1885, a 19-year-old Waubeka school teacher named Bernard Cigrand plunked a small flag into an inkwell on his desk. He assigned his students to write essays on patriotism. Later, he traveled the country to promote respect for the flag, becoming president of the American Flag Day Association.
Another controversy arose at the same time. Many Americans believe that Betsy Ross designed Old Glory, while most historians believe it was NJ Congressman Francis Hopkinson.
A third group argues whether The Die Hard movies were Flag Day movies.
The concept was as popular as the first Hartford Civic Center roof, which collapsed and landed on the Civic Center floor. The Morris idea wasn’t popular with the other (Union) states either,
Decades later, in 1885, a 19-year-old Waubeka schoolteacher named Bernard Cigrand plunked a small flag into an inkwell on his desk. He assigned his students to write essays on patriotism. Later, he traveled the country to promote respect for the flag, becoming president of the American Flag Day Association.
Known as the “Father of Flag Day,” William Kerr wrote hundreds of letters and lobbied politicians and presidents to establish Flag Day as a national holiday. He was standing beside President Harry Truman in 1949 when Truman signed the Act of Congress that officially designated Jun. 14 as a holiday.
In 1889, before tenure lowered the quality of educators, New York City principal George Bolch had his school hold patriotic ceremonies to observe the day. State officials later expanded the program. In 1893, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, head of the Colonial Dames of Pennsylvania, worked to have public buildings in Philadelphia display flags. This effort led one federal office to credit Philadelphia as Flag Day’s original home.
Still, Flag Day struggled for official recognition. It wasn’t until 1916 that President Woodrow Wilson issued a wishy-washy proclamation to “suggest and request. . . If possible” that people observe Flag Day.
In 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed an act passed by Congress naming Flag Day as Jun. 14.
Today, saluting the flag or even being patriotic seems corny or jingoistic to some. Some even say it’s racist, but now, at times, It’s a tool of violence and hatred.
Sadly, after Biden supported Israel for the first 5-6 weeks after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, the Americans who supported the terrorists or were just anti-Semitic began to protest. Even after Bidrn changed his public posture and made Israel the bad guys, Those protests became violent, and that violence featured trashing Old Glory. Those protests would be much different if civics were still taught in American schools.
“The flag is a visible symbol of the ideal aspirations of the American people. It is the one focus in which all unite in reverential devotion. We differ in religion; we differ in politics; we engage in disputes as to the true meaning of the Constitution, and even challenge the wisdom of some of its provisions; we inject self-interest and cupidity into most of the ordinary transactions of daily life, but through the sanctifying folds of the flag, the collective intelligence of the nation rises superior to the wisdom of its parts, and thus ensures the preservation of the Republic.” U.S. General Arthur MacArthur 1903
American Girls
And American Guys
We’ll always stand up and salute
We’ll always recognize
When we see Ol’ Glory flying
When you rattle his cage
And you’ll be sorry that messed with
The U-S-of-A
‘Cause we’ll put a boot your ass
It’s the American way
And the Statue of Liberty
Started shaking her fist
And the Eagle will fly
And it’s gonna be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom
Start ringing her bell
Is raining down on you
Oh, brought to you, courtesy
Of the Red, White, and Blue
Of the Red, White, and Blue
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Of my Red, White, and Blue
After the Boston Marathon bombing, everyone, even New YorkYankee fans, cheered Boston and even the Red Sox:
Speaking as a New Yorker, we did go back to hating the Red Sox the next day…but that’s baseball.
Old Glory even helps America to celebrate some of her most significant achievements.
Do you believe in miracles?
“The flag is a visible symbol of the ideal aspirations of the American people. It is the one focus in which all unite in reverential devotion. We differ in religion; we differ in politics; we engage in disputes as to the true meaning of the Constitution, and even challenge the wisdom of some of its provisions; we inject self-interest and cupidity into most of the ordinary transactions of daily life, but through the sanctifying folds of the flag, the collective intelligence of the nation rises superior to the wisdom of its parts, and thus ensures the preservation of the Republic.” U.S. General Arthur MacArthur 1903
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A Flag Day treat–James Cagney performs a “You’re A Grand Old Flag” medley from the Movie Yankee Doodle Dandy:
.grand old flag, grand old flag, grand old flag
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