Flag continues to be symbol of strength

By Edna Carpenter Booker

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Today is the 236th birthday of our national flag. On June 14, 1777, the new Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act.

“Resolved that the flag of the United States, alternate with red and white stripes” President George Washington was quoted, “and that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”

The symbolism, as Washington, the father of our country, is said to have described it: “We take the stars and blue union from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity, representing liberty.”

Respecting the flag has been a part of my being since I was 5 years old. On my first day at school, I was attracted to that big red, white and blue banner, behind the teacher's desk, in my one-room country school in Moore, Okla. I especially loved the white stars against the blue background.

After welcoming the 24 students, our teacher read to us the “Pledge of Allegiance” printed on the blackboard. She asked us to stand at attention and recite the words. Then she gave each of us a copy of the Pledge, telling us to memorize it. “Each day we shall recite it to show that we honor our flag,” she said. “It is our country's banner - our emblem.”

In the fifth grade, I was intrigued with American history and how the pilgrims had sailed to this new land because they wanted to be free people. At that time, repeating this salute to the flag was the practice in every public school in America. But since the 1960s, this gesture has all but faded into the past. Many school children today are not learning early American history and how our forefathers have fought and died for this flag.

Later, in my genealogical research, I found at least two great, great, great grandfathers who were American Revolution soldiers. The one who was from First Virginia State Regiment, serving under General Washington, at Valley Forge, was killed in 1777 fighting for the independence of the “Thirteen UNITED STATES” and its flag.

The year before, on July 4, 1776, Congress had officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, asserting that, “The Thirteen British Colonies in North America are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown.”

On Sept. 3, 1783, after more than seven long years of battle, the “new” United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the Revolutionary War. As the British soldiers abandoned their last stronghold in New York on that Nov. 25, the first order of business for the proud Colonial soldiers was to raise the battle-worn flag for their new America.

It wasn't until 1949 that Congress approved June 14 as Flag Day, and in 1970, the week beginning with June 14, as National Flag Week.

Since the birth of our nation, our flag has remained a vivid witness to innumerable great moments in our history. It has grown up with our country, from the original 13 stars and stripes to the 50 stars, symbolizing our 50 United States. Through the years, as each new star has been added, it remains as a living tribute to our spirited forefathers who “… brought forth upon this Continent a new Nation … .”

Our flag continues to give heart, hope and strength to our great country. Again and again it has flown over our nation's triumphs and tragedies as a symbol of our unquenchable faith. It is living proof that most of our citizens are proud of America's heritage. They are determined to protect its ideals and freedoms, believing that our “One nation, under God (is) indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”

Edna Carpenter Booker of Iowa City is a freelance writer, a member of National League of American Pen Women, a partner at Goodwill Of The Heartland, and a member of National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Coments: edbooicstars@aol.com