Flag Day will be celebrated on June 14 this year as it is every year. Although it is not a federal holiday, it is a national observance—a celebration of an event but not usually a day off from work. It is the anniversary of the flag’s official adoption so that Colonial troops would have one flag for all troops.
- The flag has 13 red and white stripes. They represent the original 13 colonies.
- The white stars on the blue background represent the states. Each time a new state was added, a new star was added. July 4, 1960, was the first time that the 50-star flag was flown. That followed Alaska joining as the 49th and Hawaii joining as the 50th state in 1959.
- The current flag has lasted the longest since no states have been added since 1959. In all there have been 27 versions of the flag.
If you plan to fly the flag and need guidance on the rules for displaying the flag, here is a site that can help you. That site also provides information on the history of the American flag, the Great Seal of the United States and links to the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.