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Flag Day History
June 14 marks the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777, when the Continental Congress established the Stars and Stripes as the national flag of the United States.
June 14, 1777
Continental Congress passes Flag Resolution establishing the Stars and Stripes
1885
School teacher Bernard Cigrand organizes first formal Flag Day observance
1916
President Woodrow Wilson issues proclamation establishing Flag Day
1949
Congress officially designates June 14 as National Flag Day
The original resolution
'13 stripes, alternate red and white; 13 stars, white in a blue field'
Betsy Ross story
Likely legend, first appeared in 1870, 94 years after the fact
Francis Hopkinson, delegate from NJ, may be the actual designer (he billed Congress)
The 50-star flag was designed by 17-year-old Robert Heft as a school project (he got a B-)
When Heft's design was chosen, his teacher changed the grade to an A
The current 50-star design has been in use since July 4, 1960 - longest of any version
🗽 The Original Resolution
"Resolved, that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation."
— Continental Congress, June 14, 1777
Historic Flags
Flags that have flown over movements, rebellions, revolutions, and dreams throughout history:
Gadsden Flag (1775)
Yellow with coiled rattlesnake and 'DONT TREAD ON ME'. American Revolution, individual liberty.
Jolly Roger (1700s)
Black with skull and crossbones. Piracy, death, no quarter given.
Betsy Ross Flag (1777)
13 stars in circle, 13 stripes. American Revolution, unity of colonies.
Union Jack (1606)
Combination of England, Scotland, Ireland crosses. British unity.
Tricolore (1794)
Blue, white, red vertical bands. French Revolution, liberty-equality-fraternity.
Rising Sun (1870)
Red circle with 16 rays. Imperial Japan, military.
Hammer and Sickle (1923)
Workers' tools on red. Soviet Union, worker-peasant alliance.
Eureka Flag (1854)
White cross, Southern Cross, blue background. Australian miners' rebellion.
Bonnie Blue (1810)
Single white star on blue. Southern independence, Republic of West Florida.
Anarchist Black Flag (1880s)
Solid black. Negation of authority, mourning for oppression.
Rainbow Flag (1978)
Six stripes designed by Gilbert Baker. LGBTQ+ pride, diversity.
POW/MIA Flag (1971)
Black silhouette, watchtower. Remembrance of prisoners and missing.
Earth Flag (1969)
Blue marble photograph. Planetary consciousness, environmentalism.
Olympic Flag (1914)
Five interlocking rings. International athletic unity.
United Nations (1946)
World map, olive branches. International peace and cooperation.