Flag Day and National Flag Week
June 14-20, 2015
By the authority of the Orange County Board of Supervisors,
the following resolution is hereby issued:
WHEREAS, the Continental Congress passed a thirty-one-word resolution on June 14,
1777, stating “Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate
red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new
constellation,” with the thirteen stars and thirteen stripes representing the thirteen states; and
WHEREAS, the Flag Act of 1794 was approved by the United States Congress and
signed into law by President George Washington on January 13, 1794, which proclaimed that
effective May 1, 1795, “the flag of the United States, be fifteen stripes alternate red and white.
That the Union be fifteen stars, white in a blue field,” with the fifteen stars and fifteen stripes
representing the fifteen states; and
WHEREAS, the Flag Act of 1818 was approved by the United States Congress and
signed into law by President James Monroe on April 4, 1818, which declared that effective July
4, 1818, “the flag of the United States be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white: that
the union be twenty stars, white in a blue field. And be it further enacted, That on the admission
of every new state into the Union, one star be added to the union of the flag…” with the stripes
representing the original thirteen states and the stars representing the states of the union; and
WHEREAS, Flag Day was first proclaimed ninety-nine years ago by President Woodrow
Wilson in 1916 and then became a permanent patriotic and national observance in 1950 after
President Harry Truman signed a 1949 joint resolution of the United States Congress, and
National Flag Week was established in 1966 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress
that was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson; and
WHEREAS, Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, explained to
Congress upon the adoption of the Great Seal of the United States that the seal’s colors were
drawn from the flag, with red representing hardiness and valor, white symbolizing purity and
innocence, and blue signifying vigilance, perseverance, and justice; and
WHEREAS, the Flag of the United States is a symbol of freedom, democracy, and
individual liberty that inspires people around the world; and
WHEREAS, the Flag of the United States is a symbol of justice, equality, and the rule of
law and is displayed with pride in our schools and public buildings as a reminder of those values
held dear by all Americans; and
WHEREAS, the Flag of the United States is a symbol of the heroism and sacrifice of
millions of brave Americans and is proudly draped across the caskets of those who have made
the ultimate sacrifice as they are laid to rest;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS does hereby proclaim June 14, 2015 to be “Flag Day” and June 14-20, 2015
as “National Flag Week” in Orange County, direct that the United States flag be flown or
displayed at all County buildings during the week, and urge all citizens, business owners,
educators, and government leaders to observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by flying the
American flag at their homes, businesses, schools, and other suitable places.
June 2, 2015