06/14/2026
Every June 14th, we celebrate the Stars and Stripes on Flag Day. While we’re all familiar with the United States’ flag, we might not know all of the history behind this symbol.
To celebrate, we wanted to share a few fun facts about the history of the flag that might surprise you:
🔹 The current 50-star design was created by a 17-year-old. Robert G. Heft of Lancaster, Ohio, submitted the design as a high school project in 1958. It was chosen by President Eisenhower out of more than 3,000 submissions in 1960.
🔹 There have been 27 official versions of the flag. Twenty-five of those changes were solely to update the number of stars every time a new state joined the Union. The star additions were admitted on July 4th, and, together, they give us a rich visual history of the country's growth over time.
🔹 The colors for the flag have taken on their own meanings over the years. Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress in 1774, suggested that red represents hardiness and valor, white symbolizes purity and innocence, and blue stands for vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
🔹 Six American flags have been planted on the moon. Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin were the first, but five additional Apollo missions have also left a flag on the lunar surface.
🔹 The current design is the longest-running version in history. No new states have been added since Hawaii joined the union in 1959, making this the most enduring flag design the country has ever had.
Wishing you a wonderful Flag Day filled with pride and appreciation for the history behind the flag we share.
Citations:
The National Flag Foundation. (n.d.). 10 fascinating facts about the American flag. https://nationalflagfoundation.org/10-fascinating-facts-about-the-american-flag/
Smithsonian. (2001, September). Facts about the United States flag. https://www.si.edu/spotlight/flag-day/flag-facts
