Flag Day in Indiana, what does it mean to you?

It was June 14, 1777 when a resolution of the Second Continental Congress adopted the American Flag. The Congressional decree stated that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white” and “that the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field representing a new constellation.”

Nicknamed Stars and Stripes, Old Glory and the Star-Spangled Banner all referring to the National Flag of the United States. Today It consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white which represents the 13 original British colonies that declared independence from Great Britain. The blue rectangle bearing the 50 white stars represents the 50 states of the United States of America.

Although Flag Day isn’t an official Federal Holiday it’s described in Title 36 of the United States of America Code which outlines the role of Patriotic Societies and Observances giving the President of the US discretion to officially proclaim the observance of Flag Day. Observance of Flag Day and “National Flag Week” is annual on and the week of June 14^th where the president will issue a proclamation urging citizens to fly the American Flag for the duration of the week.

Nearby Three Oakes, Michigan annually holds a Flag Day Parade on the weekend of Flag Day which is claimed to be the largest and oldest running Flag Day Parade celebration. On their website www.threeoaksflagday.com the history of their Flag Day Parade dates back to 1953 when the local American Legion post combined community pride and honoring “Old Glory” with a community parade.

Flag Day honors the broad stripes and bright stars over the land of the free and the home of the brave. That’s why here at Blake Insurance we say, Happy Birthday to Our American Flag.