[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 23 (Monday, June 11, 2001)]
[Pages 857-858]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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Proclamation 7447--Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2001

 June 6, 2001

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    On June 14, 2001, Americans will observe the 224th birthday of the 
flag of the United States of America. This special day provides a time 
for our Nation to reflect on our flag's rich history and its meaning to 
Americans and people around the world.
    The Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the 
official flag of our young republic on June 14, 1777. Describing the new 
flag, the Congress wrote, ``White signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, 
Hardiness and Valor; Blue signifies Vigilance, Perseverance and 
Justice.'' Over time, the flag's design evolved to keep pace with our 
Nation's development and growth, but its meaning as a symbol of 
democracy and freedom has remained constant.
    Flag Day was first celebrated throughout the country in 1877 to mark 
the centennial of the birth of our national symbol. As so often happens 
in our communities, a caring teacher encouraging students to develop a 
love for learning sparked renewed interest in the flag. Wisconsin 
schoolteacher B.J. Cigrand arranged for his pupils in 1885 to observe 
the 108th anniversary of the flag's official adoption.
    In magazine and newspaper articles and public addresses in the 
following years, Cigrand promoted an official national celebration of 
June 14 as ``Flag Birthday'' or ``Flag Day.'' Groups in Pennsylvania, 
New York, and Illinois took up the cause. After three decades of State 
and local celebrations, President Woodrow Wilson officially established 
Flag Day by proclamation in 1916.
    During the darkest hours of World War II, Americans looked to the 
purity, hardiness, valor, vigilance, perseverance, and justice 
represented by the flag as ideals worthy of the ultimate sacrifice in 
order to defeat tyranny. In celebration of the flag's powerful meaning 
to Americans and its place in our culture and history, Flag Day became a 
national observance by Act of Congress in 1949 and was signed into law 
by President Harry Truman.
    To commemorate the adoption of our flag, the Congress, by joint 
resolution approved August 3, 1949 (63 Stat. 492), designated June 14 of 
each year as ``Flag Day'' and requested the President to issue an annual 
proclamation calling for a national observance and for the display of 
the flag of the United States on all Federal Government buildings. In a 
second joint resolution approved June 9, 1966 (80 Stat. 194), the 
Congress requested the President to also issue annually a proclamation 
designating the week during which June 14 falls as ``National Flag 
Week'' and called upon all citizens of the United States to display the 
flag during that week.
    Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of 
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and 
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 14, 2001, as Flag Day 
and the week beginning June 10, 2001, as National Flag Week. I direct 
the appropriate officials to display the flag of the United States on 
all Federal Government buildings during the week. I also call upon the 
people of the United States to observe with pride and all due ceremony 
those days from Flag Day through Independence Day, also set aside by the 
Congress (89 Stat. 211), as a time to honor America, to celebrate our 
heritage in public gatherings and activities, and to recite publicly the 
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of 
June, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence 
of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
                                                George W. Bush

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., June 8, 
2001]

Note: This proclamation was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on June 7, and it was published in the Federal Register on 
June 11.

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