This year, get ready to join millions of American coast to coast who will celebrate Flag Day on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.
Celebrated every June 14th in the USA,
millions of Americans observe Flag Day by waving Old
Glory outside their homes and businesses. Veteran's groups
and sometimes whole communities also arrange civic functions
and special ceremonies in honor of Flag Day.
All about Flag Day
As the
legend goes, it was George Washington and two other members
of the Continental Congress who asked Betsy
Ross to sew the first American flag sometime in the late
spring of 1776. The young widow was only in her early 20's
when she completed the first flag with thirteen
stars arranged in a circle.
A year
later, the Continental Congress officially adopted the design
for the national flag, and henceforward the Stars and Stripes
symbolized the U.S. around the world.
The
first Flag Day was celebrated in
1877 - the flag's centennial. Later, in 1916, a grass roots movement
resulted in President Woodrow Wilson issuing a proclamation
that called for a nationwide observance of Flag Day on June
14. More than three decades later, Flag Day was made
a permanent observance by Congress who
in 1949 resolved "That the 14th day of June of each year is hereby
designated as Flag Day."
Why
red, white and blue? To
the original members of the Continental Congress, red stood
for hardiness and courage, white for purity and innocence,
and blue for vigilance and justice.
Why
thirteen stars and stripes? They
represented the thirteen American colonies which rallied around
the new flag in their fight against the British for self-governance.
The thirteen
colonies included Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia.
To this
day, thirteen stripes still commemorate the original colonies.
Instead of thirteen stars, today the number of stars on the
US flag has grown to 50, representing every state in the Union.
How
to celebrate Flag Day
Wave Old
Glory from the front porch, apartment balcony or window, or
attend Flag Day parades or festivities sponsored by local
organizations.
Hold an
open house or a backyard barbecue. Decorate the backyard in
red, white, and blue. A Flag Day menu might include lots of
American favorites like hamburgers, hot dogs and, for dessert,
how about an American
flag cake?
More
information about Flag Day around the Web:
Below,
find out more about the origins of the Star
Spangled Banner and what it means to celebrate Flag Day
at top sites on the subject offering American flag history,
trivia, activities, lesson plans and fun facts...
History of Flag Day
- Check out the history of
the American flag and a collecition of educational resources.
The
Star Spangled Banner - Multimedia extravaganza from
the American History Museum about the flag that inspired the
U.S. national anthem and the people and events that surrounded
it.
Flag
Day in America - Click around for related stories,
fun facts and information, plus Flag Day crafts ideas, related
trivia, links to Flag Day screensavers, desktop wallpaper,
e-cards and more.