The National Flag Day Foundation
Our mission is to carry on the tradition of the first flag day observance. On June 14th, 1885, Bernard J. Cigrand, a 19 year old teacher at Stony Hill School, placed a 10 inch, 38- star flag in a bottle on his desk then assigned essays on the flag and its significance. This observance, commemorated Congresses adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. This observance was also the beginning of Cigrand’s long years of fervent and devoted effort to bring about national recognition and observance of Flag Day. The crowning achievement of his life came at age fifty when President Wilson, on June 14, 1916, issued a proclamation calling for a nation wide observance of Flag Day.
Every time I hear the National Anthem, and see the flag of the United States of America, I am moved to sing loudly the words, and give a heart felt salute. It sometimes brings tears to these old eyes as I think of what price we've paid to keep her flying. To all who have served this great Nation we are blessed to be a part of, I salute you. I wrote a poem about America that sums up my feelings. I hope you share my sentiment.AMERICA
Out of revolution,
the grip of monarch’s rule.
Driven by freedom.
Necessity.
Founded on values
from God’s holy book,
the glue that binds,
in trust,
its varied masses.
America
Through fire of war,
without,
within,
was forged in strength
a strong republic.
America
And though the vision dims
in her prosperity,
she rises to the challenge
when tyrants seek
to quell her voice.
America
Blessed by God,
we must hold those
values close
that bound
our loose knit colonies
in their infancy.
America
