History Lessons

Poet inspired by American flag

An officer rallies his flag-following troops

Walt Whitman, one of America’s finest poets, spent much of the Civil War in Washington, D.C., working in hospitals and caring for wounded servicemen. In April 1864, he sent a letter to his mother to share how the American flag affected soldiers and himself. “You don’t know,” he wrote, “what a feeling a man gets… continue

History Lessons

Flag color White House red, white and blue

American flag flies on White House in 1929 while President Hoover stands next to one to welcome teens. (Library of Congress)

Voters are voting, candidates are campaigning, and reporters are recording. It’s the year of a presidential election, and a new chief executive will move into the White House next January. But one thing will remain consistent: American flags displayed inside and waving outside the most famous home in the nation. The following stories, listed chronologically,… continue

History Lessons

Monday’s Sunday saved American flag

Rick Monday rescues the American flag.

Forty years ago, on April 25, 1976, just weeks before America would mark the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence, a Chicago Cubs centerfielder made an immortal catch that didn’t involve catching a baseball. Instead, it rescued an American flag. That afternoon, Rick Monday snatched the star-spangled banner from two protestors who had squirted lighter… continue

History Lessons

Quiz: Match fire departments to locations

Image #4.

Can you identify city fire departments as they show off American flags in various U.S. locations over many decades? All you have to do is spot the clues in old photos and drawings to figure out where the images were made. Have fun guessing, and then challenge your friends. Image #1. This photo shows firemen… continue

Flag Information

Flags fell – and flew – as San Francisco quaked

San Francisco's city flag

Five score and ten years ago, San Francisco was devastated by an earthquake that sparked fires, felled buildings and killed thousands of people. But flags kept hopes alive, including the city flag. Some people think that the Golden Gate city’s municipal flag was created after the famous quake because the banner contains the image of… continue