Happy Flag Day
You may ask, What exactly is Flag Day? Why do we have Flag Day, and what are we supposed to do about it, and isn't July 4th just around the corner anyway?
Well, once upon a time, Flag Day was actually called Flag Birthday. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the following resolution: "That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." A pretty boring constellation, perhaps, but a constellation nonetheless. One hundred and eight years later, schoolteacher BJ Cigrand arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public Schools to observe June 14 as "Flag Birthday." (Hail, hail, Freedonia, land of the brave and free.) In the years following, Cigrand continued to stump for the observance of June 14 as "Flag Birthday," later shortened to "Flag Day." On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution celebrated Flag Day. Meanwhile, BJ Cigrand organized the American Flag Day Association in Illinois, to promote the holding of Flag Day exercises. On June 14th, 1894, the first general public school children's celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more than 300,000 children participating. This was before celebrations in Humboldt Park invariably led to riots. Some twenty years later, on May 30, 1916, Woodrow Wilson officially established Flag Day by presidential proclamation. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.
It's good to know it's not just one of those Monday holidays. Although this year it was, indeed, on Monday.
This was an especially special Flag Day for the hundreds of people who filed past the newly interred Ronald Reagan at his Simi Valley tomb. On the 4th of July, the Reagan Library will open a new exhibit revisiting his recent funeral and tributes. The exhibit, in a case of spectacularly tasteless punning, will be called Mourning in America." (I can't make this stuff up.) Meanwhile, at the other end of the country, George Bush welcomed the Clintons back to the White House for the first time since they moved out. The occasion was the unveiling of the official presidential portrait of Clinton. Bush lavished praise on his old foe, even plugging his new autobiography. There's room in this flag for everybody!
If you weren't able to make it to California or DC but you still want to celebrate our heritage, you can learn how to make a perfect five pointed star with just one cut at http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagstar.html. When your friends ask how you developed this skill, you can say you're a vexillologist, an expert on flags and ensigns. This word comes from vexillum (plural vexilla), which is a military standard or flag used by ancient Roman troops.
I'm a vexologist, an expert on vexing people.
Well, once upon a time, Flag Day was actually called Flag Birthday. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the following resolution: "That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." A pretty boring constellation, perhaps, but a constellation nonetheless. One hundred and eight years later, schoolteacher BJ Cigrand arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public Schools to observe June 14 as "Flag Birthday." (Hail, hail, Freedonia, land of the brave and free.) In the years following, Cigrand continued to stump for the observance of June 14 as "Flag Birthday," later shortened to "Flag Day." On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution celebrated Flag Day. Meanwhile, BJ Cigrand organized the American Flag Day Association in Illinois, to promote the holding of Flag Day exercises. On June 14th, 1894, the first general public school children's celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more than 300,000 children participating. This was before celebrations in Humboldt Park invariably led to riots. Some twenty years later, on May 30, 1916, Woodrow Wilson officially established Flag Day by presidential proclamation. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.
It's good to know it's not just one of those Monday holidays. Although this year it was, indeed, on Monday.
This was an especially special Flag Day for the hundreds of people who filed past the newly interred Ronald Reagan at his Simi Valley tomb. On the 4th of July, the Reagan Library will open a new exhibit revisiting his recent funeral and tributes. The exhibit, in a case of spectacularly tasteless punning, will be called Mourning in America." (I can't make this stuff up.) Meanwhile, at the other end of the country, George Bush welcomed the Clintons back to the White House for the first time since they moved out. The occasion was the unveiling of the official presidential portrait of Clinton. Bush lavished praise on his old foe, even plugging his new autobiography. There's room in this flag for everybody!
If you weren't able to make it to California or DC but you still want to celebrate our heritage, you can learn how to make a perfect five pointed star with just one cut at http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagstar.html. When your friends ask how you developed this skill, you can say you're a vexillologist, an expert on flags and ensigns. This word comes from vexillum (plural vexilla), which is a military standard or flag used by ancient Roman troops.
I'm a vexologist, an expert on vexing people.
posted by John Bliss at
12:33 PM
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