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National Flag Day is
always the 14th
day of June. National
Flag Week is the week of
June 14th.
The
Fourth of July is
traditionally celebrated
as America's birthday,
but the idea of an
annual day specifically
celebrating the Flag is
believed to have first
originated in 1885.
BJ Cigrand, a
schoolteacher, arranged
for the pupils in the
Fredonia, Wisconsin
Public School, to
observe June 14 (the 108th
anniversary of the Flag
Resolution and the
official adoption of The
Stars and Stripes) as
'Flag Birthday'. In
numerous magazines and
newspaper articles and
public addresses over
the following years,
Cigrand continued to
enthusiastically
advocate the observance
of June 14 as 'Flag
Birthday', or 'Flag
Day'.
In 1894, the governor
of New York directed
that on June 14 the Flag
be displayed on all
public buildings. With
BJ Cigrand and Leroy Van
Horn as the moving
spirits, the Illinois
organization, known as
the American Flag Day
Association, was
organized for the
purpose of promoting the
holding of Flag Day
exercises. On June 14th,
1894, the first general
public school children's
celebration of Flag Day
in Chicago was held in
Douglas, Garfield,
Humboldt, Lincoln, and
Washington Parks, with
more than 300,000
children participating.
Inspired by these
three decades of state
and local celebrations,
Flag Day was officially
established by the
Proclamation of
President Woodrow Wilson
on May 30th,
1916. While Flag Day was
celebrated in various
communities for years
after Wilson's
proclamation, it was not
until August 3rd, 1949,
that President Truman
signed an Act of
Congress designating
June 14th of
each year as National
Flag Day.
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The Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance should be rendered by standing at
attention facing the flag with the right hand over the
heart. When not in uniform men should remove any
non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at
the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in
uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the
military salute."
I Pledge
Allegiance to the flag
of the United
States of America
and to the
Republic for which it stands,
one Nation under
God, indivisible,
with liberty
and
justice for all.
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Display Your Flag
Under US Code Title 36, Subtitle I, Part A, Chapter 1, the
United States President calls on government officials and/or
American citizens to display the flag on the following
holidays:
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HOLIDAY |
DATE |
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National Flag Day / Week |
Week of June 14th |
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Thomas Jefferson's
Birthday |
April 13th |
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Loyalty Day |
May 1st |
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Law Day |
May 1st |
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Mother's Day |
2nd
Sunday in May |
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National
Maritime Day |
May 22nd |
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Peace
Officers Memorial Week
-
Display Flag at Half-Staff |
Week of
May 15th |
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Father's
Day |
3rd
Sunday in June |
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Nat.
Korean War Veterans Armistice Day
- Display
Flag at Half-Staff |
July 27th
until 2003 |
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National
Aviation Day |
August 19th |
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Citizenship Day |
September
17th |
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Gold Star
Mother's Day |
Last
Sunday in Sept. |
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Patriot
Day
- Display
Flag at Half-Staff |
September
11th |
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Columbus
Day |
2nd
Monday in Oct. |
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National
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day |
December 7th |
Additionally, US Code Title 4,
Chapter 1, Section 6 states that the flag should be
displayed on all days, weather permitting, and especially
on:
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HOLIDAY |
DATE |
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New Year's
Day |
January 1st |
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Inauguration Day |
January 20th |
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Martin Luther
King Jr.'s Birthday |
3rd Monday in January |
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Lincoln's Birthday |
February 12th |
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Washington's Birthday |
3rd Monday in February |
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Easter
Sunday |
varies year to year |
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Mother's
Day |
2nd
Sunday in May |
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Armed
Forces Day |
3rd
Saturday in May |
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Memorial
Day
-
Display Flag at Half-Staff until noon |
Last
Monday in May |
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Flag Day |
June 14th |
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Independence Day |
July 4th |
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Labor Day |
1st
Monday in Sept. |
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Constitution Day |
September
17th |
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Columbus Day |
2nd Monday in October |
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Navy Day |
October 27th |
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Veterans
Day |
November
11th |
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Thanksgiving Day |
4th
Thursday in Nov. |
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Christmas
Day |
December
25th |
And such
other days as may be proclaimed by the
President of the United States; the birthdays
of States (date of admission); and on State
holidays.
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Basic Guidelines for displaying the American Flag
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Usually, the flag should
be displayed only between sunrise and sunset. If you'd
like to display the flag at night, the area should be
well-lit so that the flag can be seen.
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The flag should be raised
quickly but lowered slowly and carefully.
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In bad weather, the flag
shouldn't be displayed unless it is made of all-weather or
weatherproof materials.
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Never fly another flag
above the U.S. flag. If another flag is flown at the same
height, it should not be placed to the right of the U.S.
flag.
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Do not allow the flag to
touch the ground. It is not necessary, however, to destroy
a flag that has touched the ground; if it has become
dirty, wash it or have it dry-cleaned as needed.
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The flag should always be
displayed with the union (the blue and white area) to the
flag's own right, which is the viewer's left.
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When flown at half-staff,
the flag should be first hoisted to the peak for an
instant and then lowered to the half-staff position.
The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is
lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should
be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to
the top of the staff.
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The Flag, when it is in
such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for
display, should be destroyed in a dignified way,
preferably by burning. Most American Legion Posts
regularly conduct a dignified flag burning ceremony, often
on Flag Day, June 14th. Contact your local American
Legion Hall and inquire about the availability of this
service.
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