What is Flag Day and why do we celebrate it? What to know about the June holiday's history
While June brings several holidays, like Juneteenth and Father's Day, there's a more obscure holiday this Father's Day weekend.
Flag Day lands on the Saturday before Father's Day this year, which is always the third Sunday in June. It isn't a federal holiday and most people in the U.S. don't get the day off of work, but most will this year, since it lands on a weekend day.
Here's when Flag Day 2025 is, what it is, why it's observed and how it started.
Flag Day, which is observed on the same day in June every year, falls on the day before Father's Day this year.
Flag Day 2025 will fall this Saturday, June 14, and Father's Day is the next day, on Sunday, June 15.
When is Father's Day 2025? Here's the date and origin story for the June holiday for dads
Flag Day commemorates the day that the Continental Congress decided what the official American flag would look like: June 14, 1777.
'According to legend, in 1776, George Washington commissioned Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross to create a flag for the new nation,' The Library of Congress says.
'Scholars, however, credit the flag's design to Francis Hopkinson, who also designed the Great Seal and first coin of the United States. Even so, Ross most likely met Washington and certainly sewed early American flags in her family's Philadelphia upholstery shop.'
According to the Library of Congress, there have been 27 different official versions of the American flag, with the arrangement of stars varying until President Taft standardized the flag to 48 stars in six rows of eight.
The current version of the flag with all 50 stars was standardized on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959.
Yes. Flag Day is not a federal holiday and doesn't mean a break from work or normal government-funded operations like mail service when it falls on a weekday.
But this year, those who don't work weekends will have the day off because it falls on a Saturday in 2025.
Flag Day commemorates June 14, 1776, which is the day the Continental Congress agreed on what the nation's flag would look like.
In 1916, President Wilson issued a proclamation of June 14 as Flag Day. And more than 30 years later, in 1949, President Truman signed a formal observance of the holiday into law.
But the creation of Flag Day pre-dates Wilson's proclamation and started in the 1880s, with a school teacher in Waubeka, Wisconsin, a small town about 35 miles outside of Milwaukee.
'On June 14, 1885, Bernard J. Cigrand, an 18-year-old Waubeka native teaching at Stony Hill School, put a flag in his inkwell and assigned his students an essay about what the flag means to them,' PBS says.
'Cigrand left the next year for dental school in Chicago, but he never gave up his advocacy for a national day dedicated to the flag. Cigrand realized his dream in 1916 when Wilson issued his proclamation.'
Yes! Flag Day shares a date with the birth of the U.S. Army, which pre-dates the decision of what the American flag would look like by two years.
"According to U.S. Army history reports, on June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress authorized the formation of 10 companies from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia to march to Boston to support the war against England for independence and put it under the command of General George Washington a few days later on June 19, 1775," according to Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), the Department of Defense's largest military installation.
"This army was known as the Army of the United Colonies until its name was changed to the Army of the United States after the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Flag Day this Father's Day weekend: What to know about the obscure holiday
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
4 hours ago
- CBS News
Minnesota's connection to the "fathers of Juneteenth"
Long celebrated by African Americans, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and a Minnesota state holiday two years later. Parades, concerts, informal and formal gatherings are just some of the ways families and communities honor what's also called Freedom Day. But it's much more than just a party, says Lee Henry Jordan, National Juneteenth's Midwest and state director. "You need to know the history of what you're commemorating and celebrating," Jordan said. "The 13th Amendment, the Emancipation Proclamation and General Order No. 3, we call those some of the 'Freedom Documents.'" Jordan believes all who take part in celebrations should know that in 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved people in states that tried to secede from the United States. Two years later, in June 1865, about 2,000 Colored troops marched into Galveston Bay in Texas to enforce General Order No. 3, which formally freed about 250,000 enslaved people who were being held illegally. Jordan calls members of four regiments — the 20th, 28th, 29th and 31st United States Colored Troops — the "fathers of Juneteenth." "The history of the United States Colored Troops, that should be a part of the celebration," Jordan said. Members of the United States Colored Troops. He hopes people look to uncover the freedom story of their own family, diving deep into history. "There were people that didn't get press but still did the work, and those people are in your family," he said. Jordan truly believes someone in his family wore the Union uniform and was in Galveston Bay in 1865. Through his research, he found at least one Minnesotan there. "William Crosley, and the fact that he's buried in Rochester, Minnesota," he said. "He was at Galveston, Texas, when the United States Colored Troops were there. So if he was there, who else was there?" He believes following a trail of history can unlock your family's freedom story. "There is a continuing story, energy, power, whatever you want to call it, that's connected to freedom," he said. "Find whatever that is for you, bring that to a Juneteenth celebration, and trust me, you will find a kindred spirit." Kindred spirits with shared history — American history — that should be celebrated by all. "If you don't leave there with a little bit more knowledge of who you are and where you come from and what can be done, then, now I think you're missing a little something," he said. Click here for a list of Juneteenth events this weekend in the Twin Cities, including the Great Minnesota Cookout on the lawn of the Minnesota State Capitol.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mobile celebrates Juneteenth with parade and other activities at Mardi Gras Park
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — News 5's own Simone Sharod is helping the City of Mobile celebrate Juneteenth as she leads the 2025 Miss Juneteenth America Second Line Parade. GoFundMe started for family of woman who died in boating accident at Bayou Sara According to a City of Mobile Facebook post, the city has several activities planned as part of the Miss Juneteenth America Scholarship Pageantry Program. 2024 pageant winner Leatha Joyner will begin Mobile's official celebration at 2 p.m. at Mardi Gras Park. Then, at 6:19 p.m., Simone Sharod, WKRG News 5 anchor and former Miss Tuskegee University, is set to lead the Second Line Parade through downtown Mobile from the Battle House. The event is free and open to the public. Handkerchiefs, second-line umbrellas, festive attire and comfortable shoes are encouraged Dead pelicans on Stuart Drive spark cleanup efforts — what we know To find out more about the second line parade, the program, and other events, visit the Miss Juneteenth website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
American Press
11 hours ago
- American Press
Joseph 'Joe' Julius LeDoux Sr.
Msg. Joseph Julius LeDoux Sr. (Retired), 84, passed away peacefully with his family by him. Born and raised in Pine Island, La., Joe was a hunter and fisherman helping to provide for his family, but hunting was his passion. Joe went on to enlist in the United States Army. He and some buddies, while stationed in New York, went out on a blind date one night and that is where he met a 'YANKEE' name Phyllis, who later became his wife for 65 years. They faced wonderful times and turbulent times, but their marriage vows were seared into the hearts of each of them. Joe and Phyllis raised three great children. He enjoyed sharing history with his family, he and his family traveled to locations of American History. Joe Spent 22 years in the military in some form or fashion with active service and reserves. On Sept. 11, when the country was attacked, Joe was in a room with others at the Pentagon where they left that room approximately 20 minutes before the plane flew into the Pentagon, into that very room. Joe is survived by his wonderful wife, Phyllis LeDoux; a daughter, Kim Marie Garland; two sons, Joseph Julius LeDoux II and Dale Anthony LeDoux; four sisters, Shirley Shaw, Jane Ruff, Juanita Ardoin, and Veronica LeBlanc; sister-in-law, Laura LeDoux; two grandchildren, Kyle LeDoux and Haley LeDoux; six great-grandchildren, Cooper, Tiffani, Brittany, Joanna, Camilla, and Michael; four great-great-grandchildren, Tyreek, Arriana, Brandon, and Brianna. Preceding him in death is his sister, Anna Faul; three brothers, Paul LeDoux, James LeDoux, and John LeDoux; grandson, Michael Garner, and his parents, Eugene and Hannah LeDoux. The family will welcome relatives and friends on Monday, June 23, 2025 at Hixson Funeral Home of Lake Charles beginning at 4 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. with a rosary to prayed at 5 p.m. Visitation will resume on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 11 a.m. until the procession leaves for the church at 2 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady Queen of Heaven at 2:30 p.m. Burial will follow at Pine Island Cemetery. Msgr. Daniel Torres will officiate at the services. The family would like to express a heartfelt thank you to Heart of Hospice and the family and friends who assisted with Joe's care. Please leave fond memories for the LeDoux family at
