ADOPTED IN 1777; CELEBRATED FROM 1885; NATIONALLY DECLARED IN 1949; IT'S A "GRAND OLD FLAG "............

The Stars and Stripes sewn by patriot Betsy Ross following the Declaration of Independence, is the emblem of our national union became the American Flag on this day in 1777.  It was on June 14m 1777, that the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes, as the official flag of the United States of America.  Seven red stripes, alternating with six white stripes, with one white star for each State in the Union on a blue background in the upper left corner, it is a standard that symbolizes freedom, liberty, justice, opportunity, and patriotism.  Local celebrations of this day as, 'Flag Birthday', took root in 1885, when B.J. Cigrand, a schoolteacher on Fredonia, Wisconsin organized an observance for his students.  In 1889, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, George Balch, arranged age appropriate ceremonies to celebrate the day with the children.  From 1890 forward these initial observances led to ever widening ceremonoes in New York, Pennsylvania, and other States annually; that in 1916, led President Woodrow Wilson, to issue a Proclamation declaring Flag Day.  As celebrations continued on June 14th, in the subsequent years from World War I until after World War II, it was in 1949, that President Harry S Truman signed into law, an Act of Congress designating every June 14th, as National Flag Day, in the USA.  Happy Flag Day fellow Americans............Fr.  Troy