Flag Day 2017: Why do we celebrate? And why do we have Pennsylvania to thank for it? BY JULIA HATMAKER jhatmaker@pennlive.com The United States has several patriotic holidays -- Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Flag Day are just a few. Flag Day is probably the lesser known holiday (although Bill of Rights Day (Dec. 15) and Constitution Day (Sept. 17) may be even more so). So what's up with the holiday? Here's a brief primer on the day. When is Flag Day? June 14, the day that the Continental Congress adopted the American flag in 1777. What is Flag Day? Flag Day is a state holiday in Pennsylvania that honors the flag of the United States of America. How did it start? The answer is a lot more complicated than you would expect. Multiple people lay claim to starting the holiday, according to the Department of Veteran's Affairs. In New York, school principal George Colch had celebrations at his school to celebrate the adoption of the flag. That was on June 14, 1889. Soon after it became a statewide initiative at public schools in New York. Bernard J. Cigrand, a school teacher in Wisconsin, lobbied Congress for years to make June 14 a national holiday in the late 1800s. He didn't get it to become a national holiday, but he did spread awareness of the occasion. He is sometimes called the "Father of Flag Day." In Philadelphia, it begins in 1893 with the Society of Colonial Dames of Pennsylvania and a descendent of Benjamin Franklin. Her name was Elizabeth Duane Gillespie and she was president of that organization. Gillespie and the Dames had the city pass a resolution to have the flag displayed over all public buildings in Philadelphia in 1893. She tried to get June 14th to be called Flag Day that same year as well, but wasn't successful. Pennsylvania became the first state to make Flag Day a legal holiday in 1937. Another "Father of Flag Day" is from Pennsylvania. William T. Kerr of Pittsburgh founded the American Flag Day Association of Western Pa. in 1888 and in 1889 he made the National American Flag Day Association, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune. Kerr's activism towards promoting the flag and the idea of flag day led to President Woodrow Wilson to issue a proclamation that June 14 should be observed as Flag Day in 1916. President Harry Truman worked with Congress to make June 14 National Flag Day -- although it still is not an official federal holiday (so you still have to go to work if you're a federal employee). /// ************************************************************ (from CF - me - How do you celebrate it? Display the American flag proudly! Do educate yourself on the flag, as well, so that if your children ask 'why' we do this, you can tell them. And do check on any events your city might have to commemorate this day, like parades, etc. Celebrate the freedom we have! Happy Flag Day - enjoy and be proud! Wishes to all ... Chanah |
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