Flag Day is not a day I am in the habit of celebrating. However, for the country’s 250th birthday bash, I decided to go all in. First, I bought a shirt specially made for the anniversary proclaiming I am a descendant of patriots who fought in the Revolutionary War. (Stay tuned. I have an entirely different costume cooked up for the Fourth of July.)
WHAT IS FLAG DAY?
Flag Day honors the day that the Continental Congress approved the design of our national flag, June 14, 1777. Legend has it that George Washington commissioned a seamstress from Philadelphia, Betsy Ross, to create a new flag for our fledgling country. However, scholars say that the honor should go to Francis Hopkinson, who designed the Great Seal and the first coin. Who knew?
Hopkinson was a congressman from New Jersey. Late that year, he was appointed to the Continental Navy Board, where he devoted time to creating our flag. Apparently, the problem came when he expected to be paid for his work. (I’m with you, Mr. Hopkinson. I create so many stories and never get paid. I feel your pain.)
In 1780, he asked the Board of Admiralty to pay him for his flag design, suggested a quarter cask of public wine, and submitted a bill. The Board of Treasury said “no”. By the time Congress stepped in to urge the payment, Hopkinson had resigned his post. While congressional journals give him credit, the Board of the Treasury said that others had also been consulted, so he could not take all the credit. Besides, his salary was high, and the board said that (are you ready for this?) Hopkinson owed a service to the public, and the design was his way of paying that debt.
And the Betsy Ross story? While generations of her family have passed down the story, historians have been unable to prove it.
To date, there have been 27 official versions of the flag, with the current version dating back to July 4, 1960.
WHAT DID SMALL TOWN AMERICA DO FOR FLAG DAY?
The event was truly a labor of love by community organizations in my rural central Texas community of approximately 24,000 inhabitants. The Fayette County Courthouse, where the event was supposed to be held, was a sea of red, white, and blue.
However, bad weather loomed, and the planners wisely moved it to a pavilion at the Fayette County Fairgrounds. And a good thing they did; towards the end of the festivities, the sky opened up.
A flag that Dustin Blackwell had while he jumped out of a vintage World War II plane in France on the 82nd anniversary of D-Day was folded and presented to the county judge. A coloring contest was held, and over 800 applications from youth at local schools were received. The 31 winners were announced. Others made rousing speeches.
Small flags were passed out, and last, but not least, 250 hot dogs were served. And yes, since I was going all in, I ate one of them! (In hindsight, I should have skipped it.)
LAST THOUGHTS ON FLAG DAY
I’ve always loved the stars and stripes. Having attended and worked at Girl Scout camps in my youth, I learned to run a flag-raising and lowering ceremony as well as how to properly fold it. I’ve lived to see the flag display two more stars and hope that, in my lifetime, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. are welcomed into the Union.
What are your plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America?
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