Today the American flag turns 246. Here are some fun facts and common misconceptions about the iconic emblem.
In 1916 Pres. Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as the official date for Flag Day, and in 1949 the U.S. Congress permanently established the date as National Flag Day. Although Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, Pennsylvania celebrates the day as a state holiday. Each year the U.S. president delivers an address that proclaims the week of June 14 as National Flag Week, and all Americans are encouraged to fly U.S. flags during that week.
It’s safe to say that most Americans know that the flag hanging in their home has 50 stars representing the 50 U.S. states. You probably also know that it has 13 stripes, but the reason why is a little less self-evident.
The original flag, created in 1776, was designed with 13 stars and 13 stripes to represent the 13 American colonies. Since then, there have been 27 versions of the American flag, according to the National Flag Foundation. The red represents valor and bravery; white represents purity and innocence; and blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Federal law states that the flag should be displayed only between sunrise and sunset. However, you can display the flag for all 24 hours if you use lighting to ensure that it can be seen in the dark, the National Flag Foundation says.
According to U.S. Code, you should never let the flag touch the ground or water. The flag is often flown at half-staff during periods of mourning or national days of remembrance. A few other notable rules say you should never: display a flag upside down (except during times of dire distress or danger); carry it flat or horizontally; or use it as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery.
Although many consider burning the flag a sign of disrespect, that’s not always the case. In fact, the National Flag Foundation notes that this is actually the preferred way to dispose of an American flag that is damaged or worn beyond repair. The U.S. Flag Code says, “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
Six American flags have been planted on the moon.
The image of Buzz Aldrin on the moon with an American flag is one of the most iconic photos in American history. The U.S. planted the first flag on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Since then, five more U.S. flags have been planted on the moon during subsequent missions.
Betsy Ross is a phony
Betsy Ross is considered an American hero, known for creating the American flag.
The story says that she lobbied Gen. George Washington to change the design, giving us the historic mock-up we’ve come to know and love.
The truth is there is ZERO proof that this ever happened, although it is taught to elementary school children as history. Ross is more in line with American mythic legends Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed than historic figures like Clara Barton or Benjamin Franklin.
When Alaska and Hawaii become states 49 and 50, President Eisenhower received thousands of ideas for an updated flag. Robert G. Heft, a 17-year old high school student from Ohio, submitted his version that he created for a class project, and it was accepted and remains in use today. Can you believe that Robert got a B- on his project?
In 1958, there was a contest to come up with a new flag that represented how the country had grown. Then-17-year-old Robert G. Heft of Lancaster, Ohio, submitted a design to the contest, which President Dwight Eisenhower chose from over 1,500 other submissions.
Marc Leepson, author of “Old Glory, Flag: An American Biography,” wrote, “Every historical study has come to the same conclusion. There’s no good historical evidence that she did. But that doesn’t mean she didn’t. There’s simply a lack of documentation. Most historians believe the story is apocryphal.”
President Woodrow Wilson, in a ceremony recognizing the first national observance of Flag Day, was asked about his thoughts on Ross.
He replied, “Would that it were true!”
Turns out Betsy Ross is the biggest lie your kindergarten teacher ever told you (except that Bubbles the class gerbil was moving to a farm upstate).
The flag’s gone through several make overs
Before the flag’s current 50-star design, there were a number of versions, some wackier than others.
The current designer got a B-minus for his idea
The designer of our current flag was a 17-year-old Boy Scout named Robert Heft. What did this talented teen get in return for creating the iconic look? A grade of B-minus.
Heft’s teacher asked students at Lancaster High School in Ohioto design a new 50-star flag, after Hawaii and Alaska joined the Union. Robert arranged it with five rows of six stars and four rows of five stars, spending 12 and a half hours sewing the flag.
His teacher said the design was unoriginal and gave him the mediocre grade, but offered to raise it to an A if the design was accepted nationally. So Robert wrote to his congressman and the rest is history.
And when his flag was adopted on July 4, 1960, his teacher changed his grade to an A.
Old Glory belonged to a sea captain
Old Glory is one of the most popular nicknames for the flag, along with the Stars and Stripes and the Red, White and Blue. The phrase is not just a generic nickname; it is actually the name of a specific flag, a 17-foot by 10-foot banner that still hangs in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
