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Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
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A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\nA cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.\nPhotograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collectionnewspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand. Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.How Flag Day became a national observanceFlag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.How the American flag has changedToday’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle. The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.The flag's symbolic meaningThe flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.ShareTweetEmail","xpath":"id(\"natgeo-template1-frame-1-module-1\")/div[1]/div[1]/section[1]"}},"event_id":22,"element_html":"
Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
Ancient Romans lost these gemstones—down a bathhouse drain
The 36 gemstone intaglios include agates and jaspers that likely once graced the rings of ancient Roman elites and are intricately carved with deities and animals.
Discovery shows Saturn's moon has everything needed for life
Enceladus is considered one of the most promising places to search for alien life. Now scientists have detected the last of six necessary ingredients: phosphorous.
“It is sufficiently humiliating to have had to carry it and exhibit it,” fumed the Confederate officer who wielded the flag of truce—now on display at the Smithsonian—at Appomattox Courthouse.
You shouldn't overlook this nutritional powerhouse
Seeds are a great source of fiber, unsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. But they’re not all created equal. See how experts rank the top edible seeds.
Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
Ancient Romans lost these gemstones—down a bathhouse drain
The 36 gemstone intaglios include agates and jaspers that likely once graced the rings of ancient Roman elites and are intricately carved with deities and animals.
Discovery shows Saturn's moon has everything needed for life
Enceladus is considered one of the most promising places to search for alien life. Now scientists have detected the last of six necessary ingredients: phosphorous.
“It is sufficiently humiliating to have had to carry it and exhibit it,” fumed the Confederate officer who wielded the flag of truce—now on display at the Smithsonian—at Appomattox Courthouse.
You shouldn't overlook this nutritional powerhouse
Seeds are a great source of fiber, unsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. But they’re not all created equal. See how experts rank the top edible seeds.
","tagName":"DIV","textContent":"{\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/flag-day-americans-remember-history\",\"@type\":\"WebPage\"},\"headline\":\"Flag Day's long—and surprising—history explained\",\"image\":{\"width\":1600,\"height\":900,\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/d640515b-7093-49c8-8c37-529864e8f7fb/01flagday_16x9.jpg?w=1200\"},\"mentions\":[],\"datePublished\":\"2023-06-14T09:30:00.000Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-06-14T14:12:48.348Z\",\"author\":[{\"name\":\"Claire Wolters\",\"url\":\"\",\"@type\":\"Person\"}],\"dateline\":\"\",\"articleSection\":\"Culture\",\"about\":{\"@type\":\"Thing\",\"name\":\"Flags\"},\"publisher\":{\"name\":\"National Geographic\",\"logo\":{\"url\":\"https://assets-cdn.nationalgeographic.com/natgeo/static/default.NG.logo.dark.jpg\",\"height\":60,\"width\":150,\"@type\":\"ImageObject\"},\"@type\":\"Organization\"},\"alternativeHeadline\":\"\",\"keywords\":\"flag day, history, betsy ross, patriotism, flag, stars and stripes, design, flags, colonial america, holidays\",\"description\":\"Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.\",\"@context\":\"http://schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\"}No country has changed its flag as frequently as the United States. In 1817 Congressman Peter Wendover wrote the current flag law. The number of stripes was permanently limited to 13; the stars were to correspond to the number of states, with new stars added to the flag the following Fourth of July. Star arrangement was not specified, however, and throughout the 19th century a variety of exuberant star designs—“great luminaries,” rings, ovals, and diamonds—were actually used. Finally, in 1912, President Taft set forth exact regulations for all flag details.\nIllustration by Taylor Maggiacomo, NGM STAFFPlease be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.History & CultureExplainerFlag Day's long—and surprising—history explainedDecreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.ByClaire WoltersPublished June 14, 2023• 6 min readShareTweetEmailRed, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.How Flag Day beganBut it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote severalFlags from around the worldPlease be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.1 / 151 / 15
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\nA cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.\nPhotograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collectionnewspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand. Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.How Flag Day became a national observanceFlag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.How the American flag has changedToday’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle. The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.The flag's symbolic meaningThe flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. 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In 1817 Congressman Peter Wendover wrote the current flag law. The number of stripes was permanently limited to 13; the stars were to correspond to the number of states, with new stars added to the flag the following Fourth of July. Star arrangement was not specified, however, and throughout the 19th century a variety of exuberant star designs—“great luminaries,” rings, ovals, and diamonds—were actually used. Finally, in 1912, President Taft set forth exact regulations for all flag details.\n\nILLUSTRATION BY TAYLOR MAGGIACOMO, NGM STAFF\nHISTORY & CULTUREEXPLAINER\nFlag Day's long—and surprising—history explained\n\nDecreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.\n\nBYCLAIRE WOLTERS\nPUBLISHED JUNE 14, 2023\n• 6 MIN READ\n\nRed, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.\n\nAlthough Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.\n\nHow Flag Day began\n\nBut it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.\n\nBernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”\n\nIn 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several\n\nFlags from around the world\n1 / 15\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n\nA cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.\n\nPHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID GUTTENFELDER, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION\n\nnewspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.\n\nCigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.\n\nIn response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”\n\nThe foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand. \n\nOthers also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.\n\nHow Flag Day became a national observance\n\nFlag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.\n\nPresident Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.\n\nHow the American flag has changed\n\nToday’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.\n\nThe original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle. \n\nThe latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.\n\nOver the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.\n\nCurrently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.\n\nThe flag's symbolic meaning\n\nThe flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.\n\nOthers have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.\n\nIn contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.\n\nAs has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.\n\nEditor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.\nSHARE\nTWEET\nEMAIL\nREAD THIS NEXT\nAncient Romans lost these gemstones—down a bathhouse drain\nHISTORY & CULTURE\nAncient Romans lost these gemstones—down a bathhouse drain\nThe 36 gemstone intaglios include agates and jaspers that likely once graced the rings of ancient Roman elites and are intricately carved with deities and animals.\nDiscovery shows Saturn's moon has everything needed for life\nSCIENCE\nDiscovery shows Saturn's moon has everything needed for life\nThis dish towel ended the Civil War\nHISTORY & CULTURE\nThis dish towel ended the Civil War\nYou shouldn't overlook this nutritional powerhouse\nSCIENCEMIND, BODY, WONDER\nYou shouldn't overlook this nutritional powerhouse\nGO FURTHER\nANIMALS\nTo save jaguars, he acts like a jaguar\nANIMALS\nTo save jaguars, he acts like a jaguar\nWhy horse racing is so dangerous\nANIMALS\nWhy horse racing is so dangerous\nMeet the animals that can handle extreme heat\nANIMALS\nMeet the animals that can handle extreme heat\nHow can you tell if a wild animal really needs your help?\nANIMALS\nHow can you tell if a wild animal really needs your help?\nFireflies are vanishing—but you can help protect them\nANIMALS\nFireflies are vanishing—but you can help protect them\nCould this simple plan save Africa's most mysterious cat?\nANIMALS\nCould this simple plan save Africa's most mysterious cat?\nENVIRONMENT\nThese cities are sinking into the ground\nENVIRONMENT\nThese cities are sinking into the ground\nWildfire season is getting longer. Here's how to prepare.\nENVIRONMENT\nWildfire season is getting longer. Here's how to prepare.\nOrange skies are the future. Prepare yourself.\nENVIRONMENT\nOrange skies are the future. 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Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
Ancient Romans lost these gemstones—down a bathhouse drain
The 36 gemstone intaglios include agates and jaspers that likely once graced the rings of ancient Roman elites and are intricately carved with deities and animals.
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“It is sufficiently humiliating to have had to carry it and exhibit it,” fumed the Confederate officer who wielded the flag of truce—now on display at the Smithsonian—at Appomattox Courthouse.
You shouldn't overlook this nutritional powerhouse
Seeds are a great source of fiber, unsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. But they’re not all created equal. See how experts rank the top edible seeds.
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Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
","tagName":"ARTICLE","textContent":"{\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/flag-day-americans-remember-history\",\"@type\":\"WebPage\"},\"headline\":\"Flag Day's long—and surprising—history explained\",\"image\":{\"width\":1600,\"height\":900,\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/d640515b-7093-49c8-8c37-529864e8f7fb/01flagday_16x9.jpg?w=1200\"},\"mentions\":[],\"datePublished\":\"2023-06-14T09:30:00.000Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-06-14T14:12:48.348Z\",\"author\":[{\"name\":\"Claire Wolters\",\"url\":\"\",\"@type\":\"Person\"}],\"dateline\":\"\",\"articleSection\":\"Culture\",\"about\":{\"@type\":\"Thing\",\"name\":\"Flags\"},\"publisher\":{\"name\":\"National Geographic\",\"logo\":{\"url\":\"https://assets-cdn.nationalgeographic.com/natgeo/static/default.NG.logo.dark.jpg\",\"height\":60,\"width\":150,\"@type\":\"ImageObject\"},\"@type\":\"Organization\"},\"alternativeHeadline\":\"\",\"keywords\":\"flag day, history, betsy ross, patriotism, flag, stars and stripes, design, flags, colonial america, holidays\",\"description\":\"Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.\",\"@context\":\"http://schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\"}No country has changed its flag as frequently as the United States. In 1817 Congressman Peter Wendover wrote the current flag law. The number of stripes was permanently limited to 13; the stars were to correspond to the number of states, with new stars added to the flag...Read MoreRead MoreIllustration by Taylor Maggiacomo, NGM STAFFPlease be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.History & CultureExplainerFlag Day's long—and surprising—history explainedDecreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.ByClaire WoltersPublished June 14, 2023• 6 min readShareTweetEmailRed, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.How Flag Day beganBut it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote severalFlags from around the worldPlease be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.1 / 151 / 15
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\nA cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.\nPhotograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collectionnewspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand. Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.How Flag Day became a national observanceFlag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.How the American flag has changedToday’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle. The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.The flag's symbolic meaningThe flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.ShareTweetEmail","xpath":"id(\"natgeo-template1-frame-1-module-1\")/div[1]/div[1]/section[1]/article[1]"}},"event_id":43,"element_html":"
Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
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Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
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Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
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Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n
Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
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","tagName":"DIV","textContent":"{\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/flag-day-americans-remember-history\",\"@type\":\"WebPage\"},\"headline\":\"Flag Day's long—and surprising—history explained\",\"image\":{\"width\":1600,\"height\":900,\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https://i.natgeofe.com/n/d640515b-7093-49c8-8c37-529864e8f7fb/01flagday_16x9.jpg?w=1200\"},\"mentions\":[],\"datePublished\":\"2023-06-14T09:30:00.000Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-06-14T14:12:48.348Z\",\"author\":[{\"name\":\"Claire Wolters\",\"url\":\"\",\"@type\":\"Person\"}],\"dateline\":\"\",\"articleSection\":\"Culture\",\"about\":{\"@type\":\"Thing\",\"name\":\"Flags\"},\"publisher\":{\"name\":\"National Geographic\",\"logo\":{\"url\":\"https://assets-cdn.nationalgeographic.com/natgeo/static/default.NG.logo.dark.jpg\",\"height\":60,\"width\":150,\"@type\":\"ImageObject\"},\"@type\":\"Organization\"},\"alternativeHeadline\":\"\",\"keywords\":\"flag day, history, betsy ross, patriotism, flag, stars and stripes, design, flags, colonial america, holidays\",\"description\":\"Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.\",\"@context\":\"http://schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\"}No country has changed its flag as frequently as the United States. In 1817 Congressman Peter Wendover wrote the current flag law. The number of stripes was permanently limited to 13; the stars were to correspond to the number of states, with new stars added to the flag...Read MoreRead MoreIllustration by Taylor Maggiacomo, NGM STAFFPlease be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.History & CultureExplainerFlag Day's long—and surprising—history explainedDecreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.ByClaire WoltersPublished June 14, 2023• 6 min readShareTweetEmailRed, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.How Flag Day beganBut it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote severalFlags from around the worldPlease be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.1 / 151 / 15
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\nA cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.\nPhotograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collectionnewspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand. Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.How Flag Day became a national observanceFlag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.How the American flag has changedToday’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle. The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.The flag's symbolic meaningThe flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. 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In 1817 Congressman Peter Wendover wrote the current flag law. The number of stripes was permanently limited to 13; the stars were to correspond to the number of states, with new stars added to the flag...\n\nRead More\nILLUSTRATION BY TAYLOR MAGGIACOMO, NGM STAFF\nHISTORY & CULTUREEXPLAINER\nFlag Day's long—and surprising—history explained\n\nDecreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.\n\nBYCLAIRE WOLTERS\nPUBLISHED JUNE 14, 2023\n• 6 MIN READ\n\nRed, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.\n\nAlthough Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.\n\nHow Flag Day began\n\nBut it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.\n\nBernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”\n\nIn 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several\n\nFlags from around the world\n1 / 15\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
\n\nA cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.\n\nPHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID GUTTENFELDER, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION\n\nnewspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.\n\nCigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.\n\nIn response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”\n\nThe foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand. \n\nOthers also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.\n\nHow Flag Day became a national observance\n\nFlag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.\n\nPresident Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.\n\nHow the American flag has changed\n\nToday’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.\n\nThe original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle. \n\nThe latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.\n\nOver the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.\n\nCurrently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.\n\nThe flag's symbolic meaning\n\nThe flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.\n\nOthers have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.\n\nIn contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.\n\nAs has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.\n\nEditor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.\nSHARE\nTWEET\nEMAIL\nREAD THIS NEXT\nAncient Romans lost these gemstones—down a bathhouse drain\nHISTORY & CULTURE\nAncient Romans lost these gemstones—dow…\nThe 36 gemstone intaglios include agates and jaspers that likely once graced the rings of ancient Roman elites and are intricately carved with deities and anim…\nDiscovery shows Saturn's moon has everything needed for life\nSCIENCE\nDiscovery shows Saturn's moon has everything needed for life\nThis dish towel ended the Civil War\nHISTORY & CULTURE\nThis dish towel ended the Civil War\nYou shouldn't overlook this nutritional powerhouse\nSCIENCEMIND, BODY, WONDER\nYou shouldn't overlook this nutritional powerhouse\nGO FURTHER\nANIMALS\nTo save jaguars, he acts like a jaguar\nANIMALS\nTo save jaguars, he acts like a jaguar\nWhy horse racing is so dangerous\nANIMALS\nWhy horse racing is so dangerous\nMeet the animals that can handle extreme heat\nANIMALS\nMeet the animals that can handle extreme heat\nHow can you tell if a wild animal really needs your help?\nANIMALS\nHow can you tell if a wild animal really needs your help?\nFireflies are vanishing—but you can help protect them\nANIMALS\nFireflies are vanishing—but you can help protect them\nCould this simple plan save Africa's most mysterious cat?\nANIMALS\nCould this simple plan save Africa's most mysterious cat?\nENVIRONMENT\nThese cities are sinking into the ground\nENVIRONMENT\nThese cities are sinking into the ground\nWildfire season is getting longer. Here's how to prepare.\nENVIRONMENT\nWildfire season is getting longer. Here's how to prepare.\nOrange skies are the future. Prepare yourself.\nENVIRONMENT\nOrange skies are the future. Prepare yourself.\nWhy are so many dead whales washing up on the East Coast?\nENVIRONMENT\nWhy are so many dead whales washing up on the East Coast?\nIs there a better way to get rid of old clothes?\nENVIRONMENT\nIs there a better way to get rid of old clothes?\nWhat the Air Quality Index measures—and what to do when it’s code red\nENVIRONMENT\nWhat the Air Quality Index measures—and what to do when it’s code red\nHISTORY & CULTURE\nAncient Romans lost these gemstones—down a bathhouse drain\nHISTORY & CULTURE\nAncient Romans lost these gemstones—down a bathhouse drain\nThe first pharaoh found intact in his tomb wasn't alone\nHISTORY MAGAZINE\nThe first pharaoh found intact in his tomb wasn't alone\nFlag Day's long—and surprising—history explained\nHISTORY & CULTURE\nFlag Day's long—and surprising—history explained\nThis dish towel ended the Civil War\nHISTORY & CULTURE\nThis dish towel ended the Civil War\nThe three samurai who unified Medieval Japan\nHISTORY MAGAZINE\nThe three samurai who unified Medieval Japan\nRome wasn’t built for today’s climate. 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Is there time to save it?\nSCIENCE\nThis 'lost world' reveals a new chapter in the evolution of life\nSCIENCE\nThis 'lost world' reveals a new chapter in the evolution of life\nDiscovery shows Saturn's moon has everything needed for life\nSCIENCE\nDiscovery shows Saturn's moon has everything needed for life\nWhat is a sonic boom—and is it dangerous?\nSCIENCE\nWhat is a sonic boom—and is it dangerous?\nYou shouldn't overlook this nutritional powerhouse\nSCIENCE\nMIND, BODY, WONDER\nYou shouldn't overlook this nutritional powerhouse\nThe uncanny valley, explained: Why you might find AI creepy\nSCIENCE\nThe uncanny valley, explained: Why you might find AI creepy\nTechnology: Powering the future of energy\nPAID CONTENT FOR ADVERTISER\nTechnology: Powering the future of energy\nTRAVEL\nHow Scottish whisky experiences are changing for the better\nTRAVEL\nHow Scottish whisky experiences are changing for the better\nThe ultimate active Costa Rican adventure\nTRAVEL\nThe ultimate active Costa Rican adventure\nFrom sundowners to fine dining: 8 culinary highlights in Lisbon\nTRAVEL\nFrom sundowners to fine dining: 8 culinary highlights in Lisbon\nFrom sea to summit: 5 adventurous ways to explore Zadar\nPAID CONTENT FOR ADVERTISER\nFrom sea to summit: 5 adventurous ways to explore Zadar\nExplore America by kayak on these water trails\nTRAVEL\nADVENTURES EVERYWHERE\nExplore America by kayak on these water trails\nHow to plan an epic road trip in the Canadian Rocky Mountains\nTRAVEL\nHow to plan an epic road trip in the Canadian Rocky Mountains\nSUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE CONTENT\nprevious\nMAGAZINE\nWhy are people so dang obsessed with Mars?\nREAD\nMAGAZINE\nHow viruses shape our world\nREAD\nANIMALS\nThe era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end\nREAD\nMAGAZINE\nSee how people have imagined life on Mars through history\nREAD\nMAGAZINE\nSee how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet\nEXPLORE\nMAGAZINE\nWhy are people so dang obsessed with Mars?\nREAD\nMAGAZINE\nHow viruses shape our world\nREAD\nANIMALS\nThe era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end\nREAD\nMAGAZINE\nSee how people have imagined life on Mars through history\nREAD\nMAGAZINE\nSee how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet\nEXPLORE\nMAGAZINE\nWhy are people so dang obsessed with Mars?\nREAD\nMAGAZINE\nHow viruses shape our world\nREAD\nANIMALS\nThe era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end\nREAD\nMAGAZINE\nSee how people have imagined life on Mars through history\nREAD\nMAGAZINE\nSee how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet\nEXPLORE\nnext\nSEE MORE"},"event_id":48,"element_html":"
Decreed by each president, this June holiday honors the American flag, a key symbol of the republic.
ByClaire Wolters
Published June 14, 2023
• 6 min read
Red, white, and backed by a narrative almost as long as the nation—the official tri-colored, star-spangled banner that tops government buildings and citizen homes across the United States first waved on June 14, 1777 (albeit in a different configuration). To celebrate the American flag, June 14 is thus known as Flag Day.
Although Flag Day is observed on a smaller scale than neighboring patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, the observance has its own rich history. Here's what to know about how Flag Day got started—and how the flag has changed through the years.
How Flag Day began
But it received national recognition, Flag Day was pioneered by a number of patriotic citizens.
Bernard Cigrand, a nineteenth century Wisconsin school teacher, dentist, and reporter, is sometimes considered the “father of Flag Day.”
In 1885—when Cigrand was 19 years old and the flag contained 38 stars—the young teacher instructed his students in Ozaukee County to write essays entitled, “What the American flag means to me.” In the years that followed, Cigrand wrote several
<p>A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the <a href=\"http://swampland.time.com/2013/07/04/why-the-u-s-flag-is-red-white-and-blue/\">colors didn’t have specific symbolism</a> when adopted in 1777.</p>\n
A cowgirl queen carries the American flag for a rodeo at the Teton County Fair in Jackson, Wyoming. While red, white, and blue are now inseparably associated with patriotism in America, the colors didn’t have specific symbolism when adopted in 1777.
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Photograph by David Guttenfelder, Nat Geo Image Collection
newspaper articles and books advocating for the creation of the holiday, including a public proposal in the Chicago Argus newspaper in 1886.
Cigrand died 17 years before the Congressional statute was passed, but Ozaukee County’s National Flag Day Foundation honors his legacy each June. And, on June 14, 2004, Congress passed an additional resolution officially recognizing that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County.
In response, National Flag Day Foundation Chairman Jack Janik said at the time, “The community is overwhelmed, they’re so proud.”
The foundation holds such Flag Day events as a parade, family festival, and fireworks and curates three public museums, including one specifically dedicated to Cigrand.
Others also credited for promoting Flag Day in the late 1800s include William T. Kerr, a Pittsburgh native and founder of the Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a descendent of Benjamin Franklin who petitioned for all public buildings to display the American flag, and George Bolch, a principal in New York whose school celebrated Flag Day in 1889.
How Flag Day became a national observance
Flag Day’s national debut came in 1916, almost two centuries—and more than 20 designs—after the flag’s adoption in the United States. On June 14 of that year, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday.
President Calvin Coolidge issued a similar Flag Day proclamation in 1927. Congress recognized Flag Day with an official statute a few decades later, in 1949, under the Truman administration. The statute requested presidents issue annual Flag Day proclamations but did not designate it an official national holiday. Even so, all presidents since 1949 have issued a Flag Day proclamation.
How the American flag has changed
Today’s flag has undergone numerous modifications—26, to be exact—since the 1777 model.
The original, sometimes dubbed “The Betsy Ross”—though few researchers express confidence that Ross created the first flag—displayed 13 stars and 13 stripes, with the stars arranged in a circle.
The latest edition, consisting of 50 stars and 13 stripes, was created in the late 1950s. While Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, then-president Dwight Eisenhower asked for design proposals for a new flag. Among the hundreds of submissions received, there were reportedly at least three for the current flag. Most famously, one of those had been sent by then-high school junior Bob Heft of Ohio, who had designed the 50-star flag for a class assignment. Heft, who died in 2009, received a B- from an unimpressed teacher, who reportedly called the design unoriginal.
Over the next two years, Heft wrote letters and called the White House numerous times seeking his flag’s approval. He also mailed the design to his congressman, Walter Moeller, who took up the banner. Alaska and Hawaii joined the nation in 1959 and the new design became official on July 4, 1960. Heft’s design earned its rightful “A” from his teacher—and he earned himself a White House visit.
Currently, Congress stipulates that when a new state joins the nation, a new star will be added to the flag in a proportional design the following Independence Day. The stripes remain capped at 13 to represent the 13 original colonies. Non-state U.S. jurisdictions like Puerto Rico remain unrepresented in the flag.
The flag's symbolic meaning
The flag’s symbolic meaning was not publicized until 1782, with the creation of the United States’ seal. At the seal’s unveiling, Charles Thompson, the secretary to the Continental Congress and primary designer of the seal, said the white signified purity and innocence, the red signified hardiness and valor, and the blue signified vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Others have offered their own interpretations, with common ones being that red symbolizes the blood of the fallen, or stripes mimic rays of sunlight. Whatever the interpretation, the symbolic nature of the American flag’s design may echo the country’s individualist foundations.
In contrast to the United Kingdom’s flag, often called the “Union Jack,” which consists of the overlapping crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick, the American flag pays tribute to no one person or religion.
As has been the case with their country, Americans have changed their flag throughout the years. Flag Day honors this evolving emblem.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on June 14, 2019. It has been updated.
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Sure, here is a short summary of the paragraphs you provided:
","tagName":"P","textContent":"Sure, here is a short summary of the paragraphs you provided:","xpath":"id(\"cdk-accordion-child-0\")/div[1]/div[1]/button[2]/span[2]/message-content[1]/div[1]/p[1]"}},"event_id":67,"element_html":"
Sure, here is a short summary of the paragraphs you provided:
Sure, here is a short summary of the paragraphs you provided:
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The American flag was first adopted on June 14, 1777.
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Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the flag.
\n
Flag Day is not as widely celebrated as Memorial Day or Independence Day, but it has a rich history.
\n
The flag has changed over the years, but it has always been a symbol of American patriotism.
\n
I hope this summary is helpful!
","outerHTML":"
Sure, here is a short summary of the paragraphs you provided:
\n
The American flag was first adopted on June 14, 1777.
\n
Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the flag.
\n
Flag Day is not as widely celebrated as Memorial Day or Independence Day, but it has a rich history.
\n
The flag has changed over the years, but it has always been a symbol of American patriotism.
\n
I hope this summary is helpful!
","tagName":"DIV","textContent":"Sure, here is a short summary of the paragraphs you provided:\nThe American flag was first adopted on June 14, 1777.\nFlag Day is celebrated on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the flag.\nFlag Day is not as widely celebrated as Memorial Day or Independence Day, but it has a rich history.\nThe flag has changed over the years, but it has always been a symbol of American patriotism.\nI hope this summary is helpful!","xpath":"id(\"message-content-idr_8e7c622f31861c57\")/div[1]"}},"event_id":69,"element_html":"
Sure, here is a short summary of the paragraphs you provided:
\n
The American flag was first adopted on June 14, 1777.
\n
Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the flag.
\n
Flag Day is not as widely celebrated as Memorial Day or Independence Day, but it has a rich history.
\n
The flag has changed over the years, but it has always been a symbol of American patriotism.
\n
I hope this summary is helpful!
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The American flag was first adopted on June 14, 1777.
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The American flag was first adopted on June 14, 1777.
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