On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag - the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory.  Here’s a very condensed history of why we celebrate our flag today:

Since 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14, Americans have commemorated the adoption of the Stars and Stripes by celebrating June 14 as Flag Day. Prior to 1916, many localities and a few states had been celebrating the day for years. Congressional legislation designating that date as the national Flag Day was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949; the legislation also called upon the president to issue a flag day proclamation every year.

According to legend, in 1776, George Washington commissioned Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross to create a flag for the new nation. Scholars debate this legend, but agree that Mrs. Ross most likely knew Washington and sewed flags. To date, there have been twenty-seven official versions of the flag, but the arrangement of the stars varied according to the flag-makers’ preferences until 1912 when President Taft standardized the then-new flag’s forty-eight stars into six rows of eight. The forty-nine-star flag (1959-60), as well as the fifty-star flag, also have standardized star patterns. The current version of the flag dates to July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state on August 21, 1959.

On Flag Day and during Flag Week we celebrate and show respect for our flag and the people who designed and created it. Our flag represents our independence as Americans and our unity as a nation - we fly it proudly. We’re proud of our nation, our culture, our people and the flag that represents them.

Take a look on the American Memory: Library of Congress site under American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936-1940, and search “Flag Day”.  You’ll find, among other things, this entertaining exchange between two gentlemen that is today as indicative of how we Americans feel about our flag as it was then:

“Why ain’t you got your flag out?” says Mr. Richmond, entering the gas station in which he spends much of his time these days. “You know today is flag day, don’t you?”

“I guess the boss forgot to buy a flag, George,” says Mr. Davis, the station attendant. “And even if we had one, we ain’t got no place to put it.”

Mr. Richmond: “That’s a fine state of affairs, that is. Here they are tryin’ to bring home to you people the fact that you’re livin’ in one of the few countries where you can draw a free breath and you don’t even know it. You’re supposed to have flags out all this week. Don’t you know that? This is Flag Day and this is Flag Week. Where’s your patriotism?”

Mr. Davis: “What the hell are you hollerin’ about, George? You’re always runnin’ the country down. They can’t do anything to suit you. You’re worryin’ about taxes and future generations and all like that. Where’s your patriotism?”

Mr. Richmond: “Well, that’s different. A man got a right to criticize. That’s free speech. Don’t mean I ain’t patriotic. …”

Remember to fly Old Glory today and the rest of the week. Take a few minutes to reflect upon its proud history and what it symbolizes. It’s a grand old flag and it stands for all that is America.

Check out the other Patriotic Journeyers… JimK, Scott,  Larry, Drumwaster, and Cosmicbabe.