The American Flag

American Minute from William J. Federer

Thirteen Stars and Thirteen Stripes. It was on JUNE 14, 1777, that the Second Continental Congress selected the Flag of the United States.

In 1916, Woodrow Wilson signed the Proclamation making JUNE 14 "National Flag Day."

On Flag Day, 1942, Franklin D. Roosevelt stated: "The belief in man, created free, in the image of God-is the crucial difference between ourselves and the enemies we face...God of the free...grant us victory over the tyrants who would enslave all free men."

On JUNE 14, 1954, Dwight Eisenhower signed Joint Resolution (Public Law 396) adding the phrase "One Nation Under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Eisenhower stated: "From this day forward, the millions of our school children will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural school house, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty. To anyone who truly loves America, nothing could be more inspiring than...this rededication of our youth, on each school morning, to our country's true meaning."

President Eisenhower ended: "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource, in peace or in war."

William J. Federer is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and president of Amerisearch, Inc, which is dedicated to researching our American heritage. The American Minute radio feature looks back at events in American history on the dates they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousand on the internet.