Flag Day’s Origins: From Betsy Ross to Battlefield Glory/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Flag Day honors the 1777 adoption of the American flag, though deep reverence for it developed after the Civil War. The role of flag bearers in deadly combat transformed the flag into a sacred national symbol. Observed annually on June 14, Flag Day commemorates the enduring ideals of freedom, unity, and sacrifice.
Flag Day’s Sacred Legacy – Quick Looks
- Flag Day marks June 14, 1777, when Congress adopted the American flag design.
- Betsy Ross is often credited with sewing the first flag, though historical evidence remains debated.
- Civil War flag bearers gave rise to reverence, often dying while carrying the national colors into battle.
- President Truman made Flag Day official in 1949, building on decades of local traditions.
- The “cult of honor” around flags grew as battlefield valor merged with patriotism.
- Early Flag Day celebrations began in Waubeka, Wisconsin, and Philadelphia in the late 1800s.
- Flag is likened to a living symbol, moving in the wind and stirring emotion, says vexillologist Charles Spain.
- Historical sites like the Betsy Ross House emphasize the flag’s evolution from military signal to national icon.
- Michigan preserves 240 Civil War flags, many damaged and bloodstained, as a tribute to fallen soldiers.
- Modern reverence for Old Glory connects today’s Americans to a legacy of freedom and sacrifice.
Deep Look: From Battlefield Valor to National Reverence — The Untold Evolution of Flag Day
TOPEKA, Kan. — June 12, 2025 — Though Betsy Ross may be credited with sewing the first American flag at George Washington’s request, her 18th-century creation would only gain its intense national reverence decades later — not during her lifetime, but through the bloodshed and bravery of the Civil War.
Flag Day, observed each year on June 14, honors the moment in 1777 when the Continental Congress approved the design of the U.S. flag: 13 stripes and a blue field adorned with stars to represent a “new constellation.” Yet the deep emotional attachment Americans have for “Old Glory” emerged not from that declaration, but from heroism on the battlefield.
The Civil War: Where the Flag Became Sacred
During the Civil War, flags played a vital, life-or-death role. They were visual beacons amid battlefield chaos, guiding troop movements through gun smoke and cannon fire. This led to the creation of the flag bearer role, a soldier who carried the unit’s banner into battle — a job with high honor but little protection.
“They couldn’t shoot back. They had to stand tall,” said Ted Kaye, a historian and secretary of the North American Vexillological Association.
That selfless courage laid the foundation for America’s near-spiritual relationship with the flag. Men fought and died simply to keep the flag upright, reinforcing its symbolism as a standard of freedom and sacrifice.
“This created this cult of honor around these battle flags,” Kaye added. “And by extension, the national flag.”
Local Roots, National Holiday
Before Flag Day became federal law in 1949, communities had already begun celebrating the American flag. As early as 1885, a 19-year-old teacher named Bernard Cigrand in Waubeka, Wisconsin, asked students to write essays on the flag’s meaning. His campaign for a national holiday earned him a place in Flag Day history.
Philadelphia soon followed, celebrating Flag Day annually at one of Betsy Ross’ former homes, evolving into what is now a weeklong festival called Flag Fest.
By 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation supporting Flag Day, and President Harry Truman, a World War I veteran, officially signed it into law in 1949. His proclamation emphasized the flag’s role in symbolizing freedom and protection from tyranny.
A Living Symbol
Americans often relate to their flag in ways that people in other nations might reserve for monarchs or religious icons. Charles Spain, a retired Texas judge and director of the Flag Research Center, described the flag as more than cloth:
“If you put a flag on a pole, the wind makes it move. Therefore, the flag is alive.”
That kinetic symbolism contributes to its emotional resonance — especially when displayed at solemn ceremonies or paraded through crowded streets.
Preserving the Legacy
Matt VanAcker, director of Michigan’s Civil War flag preservation project, has overseen efforts to conserve about 240 battlefield flags, once displayed in the state Capitol. Many are riddled with bullet holes and bloodstains, haunting reminders of the soldiers who carried them.
“A lot of them have blood stains — the physical evidence of their use on the battlefield,” VanAcker said.
Replicas now hang in place of the originals, allowing historians to protect the flags while still honoring their meaning.
The Flag’s Modern Meaning
While Betsy Ross may not have envisioned a national holiday dedicated to her handiwork, the reverence surrounding her creation has evolved into something more profound.
“For Ross, meeting with Washington may have been the most meaningful part of her story,” said Lisa Acker Moulder, director of the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia. “But the flag became sacred later — through struggle, sacrifice, and a national commitment to ideals.”
From Civil War sacrifice to annual parades and school essays, the flag’s journey mirrors America’s own — born from rebellion, tested in war, and elevated through generations of pride and symbolism.
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