What is Flag Day? What to know about one of America's oldest symbols and the day honoring it

Allie Feinberg, Arizona Republic
·3 min read
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America will participate in a 74-year-old tradition on June 14 by celebrating Flag Day. While not the country's highest-profile celebration, the national observance has evolved into a symbol of American pride.

When did Flag Day start?

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed a resolution that the United States flag would be made up of 13 alternating red and white stripes and would feature 13 white stars on a blue background. The flag with the 13 stars in a circle became known as the "Betsy Ross flag."

Flag Day observances occurred in states including Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in the years before it became a national observance, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1916, and President Calvin Coolidge, in 1927, issued proclamations asking for June 14 to be observed as National Flag Day.

On Aug. 3, 1949, Congress passed and President Harry Truman later signed the national observance into law. In 1966, Congress passed a resolution asking the president to issue a proclamation designating the week in which June 14 occurs as “National Flag Week” and calling on U.S. citizens to display the flag during that week.

What do the colors on the flag represent?

The red on the flag represents hardiness and valor, the white represents purity and innocence, and the blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.

Why do we celebrate Flag Day?

Flag Day celebrates American strength and pride through reminiscing on the country's 13 variations of flags. From the 1776 "Don't Tread on Me" to the 1861 "34 states flag," to the 1960 flag that flies outside countless buildings today, President Joe Biden says the flag represents resiliency.

"It has flown on battlefields since the Revolution and reminded allies and adversaries throughout the last century that the darkness of autocracy is no match for the flame of liberty," he said in a news release.

Is Flag Day a national holiday?

Flag Day is observed nationally but is not a day-off holiday. On Aug. 3, 1949, Congress designated June 14 as Flag Day and requested that the president issue an annual proclamation calling for its observance and for the display of the flag on all federal government buildings.

"I urge all Americans to observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by displaying the flag and honoring all of our brave service members and revering those who gave their last full measure of devotion defending our freedoms," Biden said in his 2023 proclamation.

How is Flag Day celebrated nationwide?

People celebrate Flag Day by displaying the American flag with proper etiquette. The U.S. Flag Code, created in 1942, provides guidelines about how to properly display the Stars and Stripes. According to the American Legion, some of those guidelines include:

  • Additional flags cannot be flown above or to the right of U.S. flags.

  • When U.S. flags are unfit to fly, they should be destroyed with dignity.

  • Flags should never touch the ground.

  • Flags should be folded in the traditional triangular method.

Flag myths

According to the American Legion, there are a number of myths people commonly believe about the Stars and Stripes. Some of these include:

  • The Flag Code prohibits the washing or dry-cleaning of a flag. (False.)

  • The Flag Code prohibits the "fringing" of the flag. (False.)

  • A mayor or town official can order the flag to be displayed at half-staff. (Only the U.S. president or a state governor may issue that order.)

  • The Flag Code provides penalties for violations of its provisions. (It does not; the code is simply a guideline for proper flag etiquette.)

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Flag Day in the US is celebrated every year on June 14