Flag Day: History and Meaning

Who started Flag Day?

Bernard Cigrand was just 19 years old when he placed a small American flag on his desk. It was June 14, 1885, and the young schoolteacher in Waubeka, Wisconsin, had an idea that would change American history. He asked his students a simple question: “What does this flag mean to you?“

The date wasn’t chosen randomly. One hundred and eight years earlier, on June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress had adopted the Stars and Stripes as America’s official flag.

But in 1885, most Americans had forgotten this historic moment. The flag that would unite a nation was being overlooked on its birthday.

Cigrand couldn’t let that stand. He began writing articles for local newspapers, advocating for a national day to honor the American flag.

“The flag is the embodiment of our national life,” he wrote in the Chicago Argus. His words sparked something in readers across the Midwest.

Year after year, Cigrand continued his campaign. He spoke at schools, wrote passionate editorials, and organized small Flag Day celebrations.

His efforts were largely ignored by the federal government. But something powerful was happening at the grassroots level.

In 1889, Principal George Balch of New York organized the first formal Flag Day program for schools. Thousands of children participated, reciting pledges and singing patriotic songs.

The idea began spreading from classroom to classroom, town to town. Teachers embraced the concept, seeing how it engaged their students with American history.

When did Flag Day start?

In 1893, the city of Philadelphia held the first official Flag Day celebration. Over 300,000 people attended, waving flags and listening to speeches about American values.

Still, the federal government remained silent. Flag Day existed only through the passion of individual Americans who refused to let their symbol go unrecognized.

The breakthrough came from an unexpected source. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson was facing criticism for not being patriotic enough.

America was edging toward World War I, and Wilson needed to demonstrate his love of country. He issued a proclamation establishing June 14 as Flag Day.

“We meet to celebrate Flag Day because this flag which we honor and under which we serve is the emblem of our unity,” Wilson declared. The 31-year dream of a schoolteacher from Wisconsin had finally reached the White House.

But even presidential proclamation wasn’t enough to make Flag Day official. It remained a ceremonial observance, not a federal holiday.

That final step took another 33 years. In 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day.

The boy who had placed a flag on his desk in 1885 lived to see his dream fully realized. Bernard Cigrand died in 1932, seventeen years before Flag Day became federal law, but he witnessed its growing acceptance across America.

Today, Flag Day often gets overshadowed by Memorial Day and Independence Day. Many Americans don’t know when it occurs or why it matters.

Yet Cigrand’s vision remains more relevant than ever. In an age of division, Flag Day reminds us of our shared symbols and common values.

The American flag represents more than government or politics. It embodies the ideals that bind us together as a people.

Every June 14, we honor not just the flag itself, but what it stands for, including the idea that ordinary citizens can make lasting improvements. Cigrand proved that one person with conviction can change how an entire country thinks about its symbols.

Flag Day celebrations now happen in every state. Organizations hold programs, communities organize parades, and families display flags outside their homes.

The tradition Cigrand started in a one-room schoolhouse has become woven into America’s national fabric. His simple question – “What does this flag mean to you?” – still resonates today.

Perhaps that’s why Flag Day endures. It’s not about military might or political power.

It’s about reflection. About pausing to consider what our flag represents and what it means to call ourselves Americans.

In 1885, a young teacher looked at an American flag and saw possibility. He saw a symbol worth celebrating, worth defending, worth remembering.

His students that day couldn’t have imagined that their teacher’s simple lesson would become a national tradition. But sometimes the most powerful movements begin with the smallest gestures.

Flag Day Meaning

Americans celebrate Flag Day because every June 14th, we honor both our flag and the persistent schoolteacher who refused to let its birthday be forgotten. Bernard Cigrand reminded us that democracy works best when ordinary citizens care enough to make extraordinary efforts.

The flag still flies over Waubeka, Wisconsin, where it all began. And every June 14, America pauses to answer Cigrand’s enduring question: “What does this flag mean to you?“

The answer, like the flag itself, belongs to all of us.

Here’s some ideas to help you celebrate Flag Day.

And here are some fun Flag Day facts.