The 150th anniversaries of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address have passed, and their flags have been folded. But the observance of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War continues in 2014. With more than a year to go before peace would arrive, 1864 dawned with more battles and more division. Gov. Horatio Seymour… continue
In 1861, as talk of secession escalated before Fort Sumter, Bull Run and Gettysburg, southerners had to make a decision about the U.S. flag. Would they continue to honor it as a symbol of their unity, or would they toss it to the ground in order to raise a Confederate banner? In Virginia, one of… continue
The arrival of 2014 brings the bicentennial of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The words were written by Francis Scott Key in September 1814. As the specific date draws nearer, more and more attention will be focused on the song. It took a long time to officially designate it as the official National Anthem. That didn’t happen… continue
Perhaps the most famous march composed by John Philip Sousa, the celebrated March King, is “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” a tribute to the American flag. One of the least-known aspects of the tune is that it originated on Christmas Day in a mysterious fashion. Sousa’s childhood during the Civil War was marked by marches… continue
Most flags consist only of symbols, but about one-third of U.S. states have added something extra. Among others, California, Kansas, Montana and Washington let everyone know who they are by spelling out their name on their flags. Idaho is another example, but it also has a one-of-a-kind distinction. Its state seal, which is part of… continue