Here at the Voice, we have long noted the presence or absence of the Stars and Stripes around town. Whether it be when the Boy Scouts plant dozens on B’way or someone forgets to raise a flag on an important day. But where did the date of June 14th come from? That is today’s history lesson courtesy of ChatGPT:

On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress voted to establish the Continental Army. This occurred nearly a year before the Declaration of Independence. The decision came in response to the battles of Battles of Lexington and Concord, where colonial militia forces had already begun fighting British troops. The next day, June 15, 1775, Congress selected George Washington as commander-in-chief.

The 1775 date is why the big 250th anniversary military parade happened last year. It commemorated the founding of the Continental Army. But that’s not the whole story:

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed the first official Flag Resolution:

“Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

Notably, the resolution did not specify the arrangement of the stars. The familiar “Betsy Ross circle” design became popular later, but there is little contemporary evidence proving that Betsy Ross designed the first national flag.

So that 250th anniversary will happen next June 14th. The day was formalized over the years:

• In the late 1800s, schools and patriotic organizations began celebrating June 14 as Flag Day.
• Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation in 1916 establishing June 14 as Flag Day nationally.
• In 1949, Harry S. Truman signed legislation officially designating June 14 as National Flag Day.

This year’s Flag Day will be at least as high profile as last year and as Paul Harvey used to say “”and now you know the rest of the story”.

Until recently, the Old Post Office flagpole had been barren, but things are looking up lately.