24/08/2025
August 24 – Flag Day Must Not Be Merely Celebrated!
By Y. Solomon W. Watkins
+231 777 463 908 | +231 886 427 519
From a young age, we are taught to honor the national flag, a duty that demands loyalty, commitment, faithfulness, honesty, diligence, and above all, allegiance to our country.
The national flag is more than a mere symbol. Its colors and design are rich with historical meaning, offering insight into both our past and our aspirations for the future. Each year, on August 24, Liberians across the country commemorate National Flag Day, a holiday dedicated to honoring the creation and symbolic significance of our national emblem. On this day, children parade through the streets with miniature flags in hand, a tradition that underscores our collective pride.
It was on October 24, 1915, that the President of the Republic of Liberia, Daniel Edward Howard (1912 to 1920), signed into law an act passed by the National Legislature, declaring August 24 as a public holiday. This act was intended to encourage every citizen to see the national flag as a symbol of pride, loyalty, and dignity.
The original Liberian flag, first adopted in 1827, closely resembled the American flag but featured a white cross in place of the stars. However, in 1845, a significant incident occurred: a Liberian vessel flying that flag was seized by Britain, which deemed the design illegal. This event was pivotal, ultimately leading to Liberia’s declaration of independence in 1847 and the redesign of the flag.
The revised flag retained some elements of the original, such as its red and white stripes, but featured eleven stripes instead of thirteen. It also introduced a single white star on a blue field, a symbol of Liberia’s sovereign status in a continent still largely under colonial rule. Today, many refer to it as The Lone Star.
Each element of the flag holds deep meaning:
- The blue field represents the African continent.
- The white star stands for the freedom granted to formerly enslaved people.
- The eleven stripes represent the eleven signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
- The six red stripes signify valor, while the five white stripes, symbolize purity.
As we reflect on the meaning of Flag Day, we must go beyond surface-level celebration. The values symbolized by our flag, loyalty, dignity, and purity, must be embodied in our daily lives and our national consciousness.
Purity, in this context, calls for transparency, accountability, and the pursuit of democratic ideals in a nation where misrule, repression, and corruption have sparked conflict and instability. These values are crucial to post-war recovery and peacebuilding efforts, supported by both our government and the international community.
As we work to consolidate our fragile peace, loyalty to the state must be understood not merely as allegiance to leaders, but as a commitment to justice, truth, and national development. This includes rejecting practices that threaten national stability, such as corruption and impunity, even if such practices are widely normalized. In a weak justice system, let YOU be the light in the darkness.
This is the loyalty we owe, not just to the state, but to ourselves and future generations. For the better Liberia we seek must live in us, with us, and through us, not merely in our words but in our deeds.
As we commemorate this year’s Flag Day on August 24, let us commit anew to the nation. The future we desire won’t come to us passively, we must go after it, claim it, and build it.
Ask yourself:
What three actions can I take to bring about the change Liberia needs?
For the change that Liberia needs begins with YOU. Don’t wait for Liberia to become better before you become better. Be the reason Liberia becomes better.
The change we seek is already in YOU.
Note: this article was first published in August, 2017 by Liberian journalist: Y. Solomon W. Watkins
