Jump to content

Recommended Posts

On this day in 1923, the US Congress authorized the display of the US flag by civilians and established the US Flag Code to recommend the proper procedure to respecfully display the flag, show respect for the flag and how to properly address the flag with the Pledge of Allegiance. The national anthem was not part of the original code because it had not yet been established. The National Anthem, "Star Spangled Banner" was officially recognized in 1931.

 

Up until 1923, the US flag was displayed only by the military on it's installations and naval vessels. The US government displayed it on all public buildings, i.e. post offices, schools, courts, etc. Civilians were not allowed to display the flag on private property.

 

Stosh

Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting as I didn't know that.

 

That said, i am now back not only from work, but also from a flag retirement ceremony held in conjunction with the American Legion. Boys had a good time, especially withthe hot dogs after the ceremony.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"Civilians were not allowed to display the flag on private property."

 

That's not my understanding - it wasn't traditional to do so (until 1860, after Fort Sumter) but there were no laws against civilian use of the flag. I know that there are folks that will say that only the military could fly the flag because the only laws regarding how the flag was to be flown was directed at the military, and mostly said the rules were up to the Commander in Chief but the failure to mention civilian use doesn't prevent civilians from flying the flag.

 

In 1860, in the patriotic ferver gripping the North after the fall of Sumter, flags began popping up all over (just like what happened after 9/11/2001). In 1861, the first mass production of flags began (another reason it wasn't common before 1861 - no mass production so flags were expensive). We've never looked back.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Of course there were civilian flags made by people all over the nation. However, there were all kinds of way, traditions, etc. and nothing was being done the same. People who wanted buntings for example, simply cut up old flags, etc. Lots of "abuses" occurred. No one was doing it the same until the Code came out and prescribed the proper way to deal with the flag. Even the exact design of the flag wasn't prescribed until years later. The "Betsy Ross Flag" has been found not to have the stars in a circle, but in rows like they are today.

 

Even with that being said, the original Code has been modified over the years. When Jim Thorpe (I think that's right) refused to dip the flag to Adolph Hitler during the opening ceremonies of the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, that was introduced into the code at that point. It gets dipped to no one.

 

The military still retains it's own protocol for flag display/usage.

 

And now the trivia question of the day: What is unique about the Star Spangled Banner that inspired the National Anthem?

 

Stosh

Link to post
Share on other sites

An earlier story has it that Martin Sheridan, a team captain of the US olympic team at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London refused to dip the flag to King Edward VII allegedly saying "This flag dips to no earthly king".

 

In answer to the trivia question - I'd guess what makes it unique is it was a 15 striped flag. Both a star and a stripe were added to the flag when the first two states to join the union after the merican Revolution (Vermont and Kentucky). The next iteration dropped it back to 13 stripes, probably because someone realized that 5 states were being added with a lot of territory left to become states.(This message has been edited by calicopenn)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Calico, good job.

 

The Star Spangled Banner is the only US Flag with 15 stripes.

 

I'm still trying to figure out which of the various US Flags was the real "Old Glory".

 

I hadn't heard the 1908 story, thanks for filling me in.

 

I also stand corrected on the verbiage of my first post. People did display the flag, but with all the abuses, the Code came out as a way of indicating proper respect in the civilian world.

 

Stosh

 

Found it! 24-Stars!

 

"This famous name was coined by Captain William Driver, a shipmaster of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1831. As he was leaving on one of his many voyages aboard the brig CHARLES DOGGETT - and this one would climax with the rescue of the mutineers of the BOUNTY - some friends presented him with a beautiful flag of twenty four stars. As the banner opened to the ocean breeze for the first time, he exclaimed "Old Glory!"

 

He retired to Nashville in 1837, taking his treasured flag from his sea days with him. By the time the Civil War erupted, most everyone in and around Nashville recognized Captain Driver's "Old Glory." When Tennesee seceded from the Union, Rebels were determined to destroy his flag, but repeated searches revealed no trace of the hated banner"

(This message has been edited by jblake47)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...