Flag Day is on Monday, June 14, 2027, and it falls on June 14 every year. It honors the U.S. flag and the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes. Many Americans fly the flag at home, and federal buildings display it.
When Is Flag Day?
It’s always June 14. It’s a national observance, not a federal holiday, so government offices, banks and schools stay open, PBS Wisconsin notes.
Federal law asks the President to issue a Flag Day proclamation each year. It calls on officials to fly the flag on all government buildings.
How Did Flag Day Start?
On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress resolved “that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white.” The stars were to be “white on a blue field, representing a new constellation,” the Library of Congress notes.
A Wisconsin teacher’s idea
In 1885, Bernard J. Cigrand, an 18-year-old teacher at Stony Hill School near Waubeka, Wisconsin, put a flag in his inkwell on June 14. He had his students write essays about the flag. He kept pushing for a national day for decades.
From proclamation to law
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation setting June 14 as Flag Day. In 1949, President Harry Truman signed an act of Congress making it official. The law still reads simply: “June 14 is Flag Day.”
What Does the Day Honor?
The flag as a symbol of the nation and its history. The law urges Americans to observe the day as the anniversary of the 1777 adoption of the Stars and Stripes.
The flag has changed as states joined. It started with 13 stars and now has 50, but the 13 stripes still stand for the original colonies.
Cigrand went on to dental school in Chicago but kept campaigning. Wilson’s 1916 proclamation finally fulfilled his push for a national day.
How to Celebrate Flag Day
- Fly the flag: display it at home from sunrise to sunset.
- Learn about Cigrand: read how one Wisconsin teacher spent decades campaigning for the day.
- Display it correctly: on a wall, the blue field with stars goes in the upper left as viewers see it.
- Retire a worn flag: many veterans’ groups and Scout troops hold respectful flag retirement ceremonies.
- Teach the history: have kids count stars and stripes and learn what each stands for.
- Read the 1777 resolution: it’s only one sentence long.
- Attend a local ceremony: many towns hold parades or flag-raising events.
Flag Etiquette Basics
The U.S. Flag Code says the flag is customarily displayed from sunrise to sunset. It may fly around the clock if properly lit at night. It shouldn’t be flown in bad weather unless it’s an all-weather flag.
The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground or water. When it’s no longer fit for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Flag Day a federal holiday?
No. It’s a national observance, so government services stay open. It isn’t a day off like Memorial Day or Thanksgiving.
Who is considered the father of Flag Day?
Bernard J. Cigrand, the Wisconsin schoolteacher who held a flag celebration with his students on June 14, 1885, and campaigned for a national day.
What happens on Flag Day each year?
The President issues a proclamation, federal buildings fly the flag and many towns hold ceremonies. Some states and towns host parades.
Sources
- Library of Congress – Today in History: June 14
- PBS Wisconsin – Americans celebrate Flag Day every year, a holiday that has roots in Wisconsin
- Cornell Law School LII – 36 U.S. Code § 110, Flag Day
- Cornell Law School LII – 4 U.S. Code § 6, Time and occasions for display
- Cornell Law School LII – 4 U.S. Code § 8, Respect for flag