U.S. General Services Administration
Flag Day & the Symbolism of Flags
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While not a federal holiday, Flag Day has been celebrated nationally on June 14 since President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed it a national observance in 1916.
The U.S. flag has undergone several iterations, with stars and stripes being central to the U.S. flag motif since the country declared its independence from Britain in 1776. The design of the U.S. flag has been modified officially 26 times since 1777.
GSA plays an important role in implementing flag-related standards set forth in the U.S. Code. The code covers not only when and how the flag should be displayed, but the proper methods of handling and respecting the flag. Every U.S. federal agency and building displays the American flag.
As the manager for much of the federal government’s real estate, GSA is responsible for flying the flag at all GSA-managed locations. This includes buildings delegated to other federal agencies by the GSA administrator, as well as GSA-leased buildings. So if you’re in one of GSA’s owned or leased properties, you’ll see the flag waving from Maine to Hawaii, and from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands to Vermont.
The National Archives Celebrating Flag Day page features photos of President Wilson, the flag raising on Iwo Jima, and flags waved for President Kennedy in Berlin, Apollo 16 Mission to the moon, and Mrs. Laura B. Prisk (originator of the Flag Day idea). The Flag covers the flag’s history, earlier versions, and flag laws and regulations.
Disposing of the American flag when tattered or worn is a respectful ritual, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, and is often conducted at a nighttime ceremony on Flag Day. Or, DOD recommends finding a disposal box at a local police station or veterans association.
The Importance of Flags
To commemorate occasions connected to Presidential Proclamations and other federal observances, GSA also flies other flags and pennants at federal buildings. For the new federal holiday of Juneteenth, GSA headquarters in Washington will fly the Juneteenth flag for the first time on June 20, 2023.
The Juneteenth flag honors the official abolition of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865. That flag features the colors of the American flag, a curvature that symbolizes new horizons, the five-point star of Texas where the final 250,000 enslaved people were emancipated in Galveston, and a larger star that stands for the spread of freedom.
Globally, 193 national flags are flown by sovereign states that are members of the United Nations. The flag of Denmark, the Dannebrog, is said to be the oldest national flag, in use since 1478. The flag of Mauritania with its green field, gold crescent and star, and two red stripes, is the youngest national flag in the world, unfurled in 2017.