Seventy-five years ago, on December 7, 1941, Imperial Japan’s air force attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, triggering the entry of the United States into World War II. The early morning attack occurred on a Sunday, as most Americans, unaware of what was happening several time zones away, opened their morning newspapers, where they read articles… continue
When Americans vote for a president, you can count on American flags being displayed outside polling places, alongside roads and beside the winner. You can also, every now and then, expect a controversial election with claims about stolen or illegal votes. A case occurred 140 years ago when the centennial of 1776 was celebrated. Republican… continue
The arrival of Veterans Day calls attention to something that happened 90 years ago on Nov. 11, 1926. That’s when a national museum of World War I opened in Missouri. The conflict itself was spangled with WWI flags. The National World War I Museum and Memorial, its official name, was sited in Kansas City because… continue
With American flags waving and their own department banners unfurled, firehouses in New York State have often marked major moments in their histories. Those flags have also, at times, caused controversy. Fire Deaths A melancholy example of the use of Old Glory and fire department flags dates back to 1854, when several firemen died in… continue
In October 1781, as the American Revolution neared its conclusion in Yorktown, Virginia, an observer noticed the role flags played on both the American and British sides. That observer, 235 years ago, was St. George Tucker, a noted lawyer who was a lieutenant general on General George Washington’s staff. He kept a journal of events… continue