For Immediate Release
(202) 224-5653

KOHL COLUMN: Flag Day

By Senator Herb Kohl

This Flag Day we recognize the history and meaning behind the widely recognized symbol of the United States of America. Since its establishment on June 14, 1777 by the Second Continental Congress, the stars and stripes have been proudly displayed by Americans across the country and by the brave men and women who serve in the United States armed forces.

Sixty years ago, Congress established the national observance of Flag Day. Before President Harry Truman signed the measure into law in 1949, many Americans had already unofficially recognized June 14th as a day to honor the flag. While the first observance occurred in Hartford, Connecticut during the first year of the Civil War, a patriotic American and grade school teacher named Bernard J. Cigrand of Waubeka, WI became the first national advocate for a day honoring the establishment of the flag.

During a school lesson in 1885 at Stony Hill School in Waubeka, Cigrand placed a small American flag on his desk and asked the students to write a short essay about what the flag meant to them. Cigrand also made the first public proposal for a national flag day in June of 1886 when he authored an article titled “The Fourteenth of June” in a Chicago newspaper. From that moment on, Cigrand authored numerous articles and books about patriotism and Americanism until his death in 1932. Today, Cigrand is honored as “The Father of Flag Day,” and Waubeka is home to the Stony Hill School historic site, the National Flag Day Foundation and the National Flag Day Americanism Center.

While Bernard Cigrand is credited for bringing public attention to an annual observance of the flag, many Americans and communities throughout the nation in the past and present share his sentiment and respect for the flag. Flags proudly fly from homes, hang in classrooms, and are prominently displayed over many buildings and businesses. Respect for the flag is not only shown in its display, but how the flag is cared for and properly destroyed when it is worn and tattered.

The harsh winter weather in Wisconsin often damages flags beyond repair and the flags must be replaced. To have a flag properly destroyed, individuals can respectfully fold the unserviceable flag and deliver it to a veteran’s organization such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, or the American Legion for inspection and proper disposal by burning. As a constituent service, my office accepts orders for new flags and, at my request, flags that are flown over the United States Capitol Building. Please contact my office or visit my website at http://www.kohl.senate.gov for ordering information.

Today I encourage you to display a flag from your home or talk with your children or grandchildren about the history of the flag and its importance to our country. The Second Continental Congress called the white stars in a blue field a new constellation representing the birth of our infant nation. Generations later, the flag still represents our nation’s hope and unity after 232 years.

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