What will you be doing on June 14 this year? Regardless of where you will be or what you will have planned for the day just make sure that you take the opportunity to remember a special birthday on that date. It is the birthday of the flag!
Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, but it is important nonetheless. This year it falls on a Sunday. It commemorates when the flag was first adopted in the United States, which took place on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.
History is kind of sketchy as to when Flag Day actually got its start. Some say it began in New York state in 1897 with a small but patriotic group of individuals. Other states soon heard of Flag Day and followed suit. However, it was not until 1916 that the date officially became known as Flag Day. President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that established it as such. More progress was made on the flag’s birthday when National Flag Day was established by an act of Congress in August 1949.
Flag Day is part of a larger celebration known as National Flag Week that takes place during whatever week Flag Day falls on. During this most special of weeks, the president issues a proclamation to all Americans to fly the flag with utmost pride for the entire week. The flag is also displayed on all government buildings throughout the country during that week.
There are organizations that choose to hold parades to celebrate all that the American flag means to its citizens and what it represents. You might want to check with the council in your city, town or community to find out if a parade or any other special event is being held on the second Sunday of June.
For those who enjoy trivia, the largest Flag Day parade held across the country is held every year in Troy, New York. This annual parade draws as many as 50,000 men, women and children to watch the festivities as they go by.
There is a National Flag Day Foundation that can be found on the web at http://www.nationalflagday.com/. Long live the flag!
