Show Your Stars and Stripes on Flag Day

Residents are encouraged to fly their flag today, June 14, National Flag Day, and throughout this week, designated National Flag Week.

It all started back on June 14, 1885 when a 19-year-old teacher at Stony Hill School in Waubeka, Wisconsin placed a small 38-star flag in a bottle on his desk and assigned his students essays on the flag and its significance. 

That teenaged teacher, Bernard J. Cigrand, was an American patriot who would eventually become the founder of Flag Day. Born in Wisconsin in 1866, he was a contributing editor of Encyclopedia Americana and the Chicago-based organization known as the Sons of America appointed Cigrand editor-in-chief of its magazine, American Standard.

Cigrand wrote about the recognition and meaning of Flag Day, laws and customs regulating the use of the flag and other articles advocating recognition of the flag's June 14 adoption. 

On the third Saturday in June 1894, more than 300,000 Chicago school children celebrated the first Flag Day. From there, governors, mayors and five U.S. presidents agreed that Flag Day should be observed in all the states on June 14, the official adoption of the flag. 

In 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress officially designating June 14 of every year “National Flag Day.” Legislation unanimously voted on by Congress in June 2004 states that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, where Cigrand was born. 

The National Flag Day Foundation strives to carry on the tradition of the first Flag Day observance, says its president John Janik. The foundation initiates fundraising efforts to support Cigrands' dream to “fittingly commemorate the birthday of the American Flag and to carry the message of our Flag to the future leaders of our great country – our youth.”

When To Display The Flag

According to the American Flag Foundation, Inc. the flag should be displayed on all days, but especially on:

• New Year's Day (Jan. 1)
• Inauguration Day (Jan. 20)
• Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday (third Monday in January) 
• Lincoln's birthday (Feb. 12) 
• Washington's birthday (third Monday in February) 
• Easter Sunday - (variable) 
• Mother's Day (second Sunday in May)
• Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May) 
• Memorial Day (half-staff until noon May 30 and last Monday in May) 
• Flag Day (June 14) 
• Independence Day (July 4) 
• Labor Day (first Monday in September) 
• Columbus Day (second Monday in October) 
• Navy Day (Oct. 27) 
• Veterans Day (Nov. 11) 
• Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) 
• Christmas Day (Dec. 25) 
• Other days as may be proclaimed by the president of the United States, including birthdays of states (date of admission) and state holidays.

When displayed at night, the U.S. flag must be properly illuminated.