Honoring Old Glory | The Flag’s Role in Flag Day 2024

The use of the inverted American flag Day 2024 as a symbol of protest has a long history in the United States. This practice dates back to the Civil War era, where it was used to protest President Abraham Lincoln’s policies. Antislavery activists in the 1800s also displayed the flag upside down to signal their distress and disagreement with the institution of slavery.

During the 1960s, Vietnam War protesters adopted the inverted flag to express their opposition to the war and their government’s actions. More recently, the 2020 racial equity protests sparked by George Floyd’s death saw the inverted flag once again being utilized as a powerful symbol of dissent.

Recent Uses by Far-Right Movements

In recent years, the far right has embraced the inverted flag as a symbol of election denial and loyalty to former President Donald Trump. Trump supporters have used the upside-down flag to signal their support for the “Stop the Steal” campaign, which falsely claimed that the 2020 election was stolen.

During the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, rioters carried the inverted flag as they attempted to overturn the election results. Trump supporters continue to use the flag in this manner, including during protests against his recent felony conviction in the New York hush money trial.

Political Leaders and Public Figures

GOP leaders such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, and Donald Trump Jr. shared images of the upside-down flag online after Trump was found guilty of 34 counts. The inverted flag, once a general symbol of distress and protest, has become associated with a specific political agenda and group.

The Dual Nature of Flag Symbolism

The American flag is a charged symbol, and Americans’ relationship with it changes dynamically with the times and political winds. The Supreme Court has upheld the right to fly the Star-Spangled Banner upside down or even burn it, protecting these actions as symbolic speech under the First Amendment. It is considered hypocritical to denounce others for using the flag in protest while claiming it as an act of patriotism when doing the same.

Flag Day | Honoring the American Flag

Flag Day is celebrated on June 14 to honor the American flag, which has symbolized freedom and unity since 1777. The Continental Congress adopted the “Stars and Stripes” as the original American flag, which was used when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

The flag has undergone several changes, including the addition of 37 stars. President Woodrow Wilson made Flag Day an official day in 1916, although it is not a federal holiday, meaning banks and schools remain open.

Symbolism of the American Flag

The modern American flag is red, white, and blue, with red representing valor and hardiness, white representing purity and justice, and blue representing vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

National Flag Week is celebrated during Flag Day week, with President Joe Biden encouraging citizens to honor the American spirit, celebrate history, and recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America Flag.

Flag Etiquette and Proper Display

Flag etiquette on Flag Day includes not touching the ground, flying the flag upside down, carrying the flag flat, using it as clothing, storing it in dirty places, not fastening it, tying it back, drawing on it, and flying the flag in bad weather.

The flag is a symbol of unity and pride for all Americans, according to the editorial board of The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com. The flag is not a partisan symbol but a symbol of what unites us all as Americans.

Historical Origins of Flag Day

June 14 is designated as Flag Day in the United States, a day dedicated to honouring the national flag. The holiday commemorates the date of June 14, 1777, when the United States approved the design for its first national flag.

The flag’s current design is attributed to Francis Hopkinson by academics, although Betsy Ross may not have designed it. The idea for a day to honor the national flag came from several sources, including a Wisconsin schoolteacher, William T. Kerr, and George Morris. Although officially recognized, Flag Day is not a federal holiday, and only Pennsylvania celebrates it as a state holiday.

National Flag Foundation Guidelines

The National Flag Foundation (NFF) offers guidelines for various occasions, including speaking engagements, flagpoles, crossed, wall display, outdoor display, street display, raising and lowering of the flag, folding the flag, and displaying it on a coffin. The flag should never touch anything beneath it, and the president, state governor, or District of Columbia Mayor have the authority to place the flag at half-staff.

The U.S. Flag Code, passed by Congress in 1942, states that the flag should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning. The NFF offers explicit regulations for disposing of a flag, including holding a flag-burning ceremony, dropping it off in an authorized flag disposal box, burial, or recycling. Anyone can hold a flag disposal ceremony, but those who choose to retire a flag should only proceed with authorized, respectful, and dignified methods.

The Flag as a Unifying Symbol

Flag Day in America is celebrated on June 14, with the United States flag featuring 50 stars and 13 stripes. The flag was first introduced on June 14, 1777, with the Continental Congress passing a law establishing an official flag. Between 1777 and 1960, the flag’s shape, design, and arrangement changed. After Hawaii became the 50th state on July 4, 1960, the current version was created.

The flag’s design features thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, a blue rectangle in the upper left corner with 50 small white five-pointed stars arranged in nine horizontal rows. The colors of the flag also have symbolic meanings, with red representing resistance and courage, white representing purity and innocence, and blue representing vigilance and justice.

Observing Flag Day

Flag Day is observed annually on June 14, commemorating the 13 stripes, alternate red and white, and 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation. The American flag was designed by Congressman Francis Hopkinson and Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross, but no one knows for certain who designed it. The flag was added to 13 stripes in 1818 to commemorate the 13 original states. On this Flag Day, let us remember the significance of the flag, the fact that people have given their lives for it, and we should treat it with honour.

There are numerous accepted rules for displaying the American flag, including prominent placement, no other flag being higher than the American flag, and proper lighting. President Calvin Coolidge emphasized the importance of the flag as a symbol of American freedom and liberty.