Ah, the question we get all the time. Which is correct, half-staff or half-mast? The answer is a little more complicated than the question suggests. According to Wikipedia, the term half-mast goes back to the 17th Century, although it’s not specific about where that was found. It is, however, the term used in nearly all… continue
In 1903, 300 children who attended St. Thomas Catholic School in Wilmington, Delaware, celebrated Thanksgiving Day in an unusual way. After attending Mass, they “adjourned to the lawn about the church,” according to a newspaper, where “a new American flag was raised.” While the linking of Thanksgiving and flags is rare in the 21st century,… continue
Raising the American flag is a common activity for presidents, including Abraham Lincoln. But he had to skip one such occasion, even though he had promised to be there. It happened less than a year after his inauguration in March 1861. Six months later, after the first battles of the War Between the States had… continue
This year’s World Series will sport many flags – American flags and red-white-and-blue bunting, of course, but also the pennants and banners of baseball teams. Just in time for the fall classic, a lost film has surfaced from 90 years ago, and it shows a prominent Old Glory. The silent movie is the only known… continue
From baseball games to symphonic concerts, everyone in the U.S. has heard someone sing or play the National Anthem to honor the American flag. Very few, however, have seen “The Star-Spangled Banner” in pantomime. But a book exists that could change that. At one time, it was a bible for acting out Francis Scott Key’s… continue