Flag Day

Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial

On June 14, 1777, a banner of red, white, and blue was woven into history when the Second Continental Congress passed the First Flag Resolution, making our beloved Stars and Stripes the official flag of our emerging Republic.  On Flag Day we pause to revere the star-spangled emblem of our freedom — and we honor the nearly 250 years of valor, sacrifice, and patriotism it has gloriously inspired.

In the summer of 1777, more than 2 years into the Revolution and nearly 1 year after the American Colonies declared their Independence from Great Britain, the need for unity, strength, and national identity was essential.  On June 14, the Congress convened to adopt a momentous resolution that galvanized the Colonies under a majestic and commanding insignia and proclaimed “the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”  In the midst of revolution, the emblem of our freedom was born — and the mightiest symbol for sovereignty and justice ever conceived by human hands was sewn into existence.

For nearly 250 years, Old Glory has presided over every chapter of the American story.  It gallantly flew as General George Washington crossed the Delaware, as President Abraham Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg, and as American forces raised it on the summit of Iwo Jima, the shores of Inchon and mountains surrounding the Chosin Reservoir, and in the jungles of Vietnam.  It waved from the moon on July 20, 1969 and rose from the ashes at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001 — and time and again, it has been valiantly defended by patriots when extremist bands of anti-American agitators have sought to desecrate and destroy it.

Through every trial and triumph, the American flag has stood as an enduring symbol of courage, unity, and the unwavering belief that nothing will ever stand in the way of our beloved homeland, heritage, history, and values.  May the red, white, and blue forever reign over the greatest Nation in the history of the world — and may it always prevail over those who seek to tear it down.

Flag Day Flag Retirement Ceremony

Join us annually on June 14th, 10:00 a.m.at the Missouri Korean War Memorial in Washington Square Park, 100 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, Missouri as we respectfully retire a flag in observance of Flag Day.