by Leona Ash

Created on: June 09, 2008

June 14 is Flag Day, a day where Americans show their respect for the flag. Sure there is the 4th of July, where America's Independence Day is celebrated, but recognition must be paid to the commemoration of the adoption of The Stars and Stripes, in 1777.

The first Flag Day was believed to take place in 1877, on the 100th anniversary of the Continental Congress' official adoption of the American Flag to represent the United States. In the same year, Congress had asked all public buildings to fly the flag on June 14. The idea was embraced by many.

One fervent supporter was Bernard J. Cigrand, a schoolteacher from Wisconsin. In 1885, he set out to arrange for the pupils of Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 as "Flag Birthday". Following that, Cigrand became an enthusiastic advocate of the "Flag Day", and appeared in numerous magazines and newspaper articles to promote the day.

Due to his heavy involvement in promoting Flag Day, Cigrand eventually became the president of the American Flag Day Association and later, the National Flag Society. His position gave him much freedom to promote his cause with substantial backing.

On June 14, 1889, kindergarten teacher George Balch from New York City planned Flag Day ceremonies for the children of his school. His idea of observing Flag Day was then adopted by the State Board of Education of New York.

In 1893, Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, the president of the Colonial Dames of Pennsylvania and descendant of Benjamin Franklin, tried to get a resolution passed to make June 14 as Flag Day. In the same year, the Colonial Dames of Pennsylvania was responsible for a resolution being passed to require the American Flag to be displayed on all the public buildings in Philadelphia. And in 1937, Pennsylvania became the first state in the US to declare Flag Day a legal holiday (a state holiday).

Back in 1916, that Flag Day was already proclaimed as a national celebration, by President Woodrow Wilson. However, the holiday was not officially recognized until 1949, when President Harry Truman signed on the National Flag Day Bill. The date is designated for observance and calls for the display of the Flag of the United States on all Federal Government buildings.
In 1966, the Congress requested the President, by a joint resolution approved in the same year, to proclaim that the week in which June 14 falls as "National Flag Week" and encourage all citizens of the US to fly the Stars and Stripes that week.

Today, Flag Day is celebrated across the nation. In fact, some states are known to hold yearly Flag Day parade and transform the holiday into a string of meaningful celebratory events.

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