Flag Day Fun Facts

Cynthia Lopinto Feature Article Leave a comment 1,942 Views

By CYN LoPINTO
Editor-in-chief, gerontologist

While many Americans carry or hang flags to celebrate the 4th of July each year, few are aware that a month earlier is Flag Day. If you ever wondered how this holiday came about, we put together a list of fun facts about this lesser-known holiday. Be sure to hang your flag on both July 4th and June 14th.

Flag Day (originally called Flag Birthday) is celebrated on June 14^th.
The flag (with 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field) was chosen when the Continental Congress adopted a resolution on June 14, 1777.
According to the U. S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, the first flag of this design was carried during the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Brandywine (Pennsylvania) on September 11, 1777.
The first flying of this flag in a foreign territory was after the U.S. captured a British Port at Nassau in the Bahama Islands in 1778.
The very first celebration of Flag Day was said to be during the summer of 1861 in Hartford, Connecticut. Schools began to hold Flag Day celebrations as a way to teach immigrant children about America.
The most well-known first observance of Flag Day took place at a low income kindergarten school in New York City on June 14, 1889. The State Department of Education heard about the celebration and took steps to make it an observed holiday.
In 1897, the Governor of New York ordered all public state buildings to fly the flag.
In 1937, Pennsylvania became the first state to recognize Flag Day on June 14^th as a legal holiday.
On August 3, 1949, after Congress approved a resolution making Flag Day (on June 14th) a national observance, President Truman signed it into law.
Today, while all states recognize Flag Day as a national observance, Pennsylvania is the only state that recognizes it as a legal holiday.

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Cynthia Lopinto

Cyn LoPinto, M.A. is a gerontologist focusing on significant issues affecting older adults and their families. Her areas of interest include lifestyle enrichment, family dynamics, and caregiver support. Cyn has worked in both the recreational and healthcare industries.