Flag Day (United States)

U.S. Flag Day
Poster commemorating the 140th Flag Day on June 14, 1917
Observed byUnited States
DateJune 14
Next timeJune 14, 2025 (2025-06-14)
Frequencyannual

Flag Day is a holiday celebrated on June 14 in the United States. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.[1] The Flag Resolution stated "That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation."[2][3]

Flag Day was first proposed in 1861 to rally support for the Union side of the American Civil War. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation that designated June 14 as Flag Day.[4] On August 3, 1949, National Flag Day was officially established by an Act of Congress.[5] On June 14, 1937, Pennsylvania became the first state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday, beginning in the town of Rennerdale.[1] New York Consolidated Laws designate the second Sunday in June as Flag Day, a state holiday.[6]

Flag Day is not an official federal holiday. Federal law leaves it to the discretion of president to officially proclaim the observance. Title 36 of the United States Code, Subtitle I, Part A, Chapter 1, Section 110[7] is the official statute on Flag Day. The United States Army also celebrates its birthday on this date. It also shares the birthday of the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump. [8][9][10]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference philly was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Leepson, Marc (2005). Flag: an American Biography. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 33.
  3. ^ Williams, Earl P. Jr. (October 2012). "Did Francis Hopkinson Design Two Flags?" (PDF). NAVA News (216): 7–9.
  4. ^ "Proclamation 1335—Flag Day". The American Presidency Project. May 13, 1916. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  5. ^ "Today in History - June 14 - Library of Congress". Library of Congress. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  6. ^ "New York Consolidated Laws, Executive Law - EXC § 403". FindLaw. New York State.
  7. ^ 36 U.S.C. § 110
  8. ^ Wright, Robert K. Jr. (1983). The Continental Army. Washington, D. C.: Center of Military History, United States Army. LCCN 82016472. Archived from the original on October 9, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  9. ^ "June 14th: The Birthday of the U.S. Army". US Army History. U.S. Army Center of Military History. Archived from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  10. ^ "It's Flag Day and President Trump's 74th birthday". June 14, 2020.