On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed June 14 to be “Flag Day,” a yearly commemoration of the importance of the U.S. Flag.
The Flag Act of 1777 adopted the “Stars and Stripes” as the national flag on June 14, 1777, when the design featured just 13 stars representing the original 13 states. Two additional “Flag Acts” would pass in 1794 and 1818, each adding additional design choices for newer states admitted into the United States. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation calling for an official National Flag Day observance. Then, in 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed an Act of Congress designating the 14th day of June every year as National Flag Day. The United States Army also celebrates its birthday on this date.
The Still Picture Branch at the National Archives has a large selection of photographs of the U.S. Flag. Learn more about Flag Day and view images of the U.S. Flag in the Unwritten Record blog