What Flag Day Can Teach us About Passion, Brand Identity and Advocacy.

“The “Stars and Stripes”, the official National symbol of the United States of America, was authorized by congress on Saturday June 14, 1777 – the fifth item of the days agenda. In Waubeka, Wisconsin, in 1885 Bernard John Cigrand a nineteen year old school teacher in a one room school, placed a 10” 38 star flag in an inkwell and had his students write  essays on what the flag meant to them. He called June 14th the flag’s birthday.” – The National Flag Day Foundation

Flag Day was not officially established until 1926, by then-President Woodrow Wilson. It would take another 33 years for congress to establish an act proclaiming National Flag Day.

Although not a noticed national holiday, it speaks volumes about the simple passion that a symbol can engender in the spirit of mankind. The flag of the United States is the most recognized symbol in the country and one of the most recognized flags in the world. It’s not the colors- many other countries host red, white, and blue in their flags of origin.  It’s not the shapes, stripes and stars abound as well. It’s the passion behind the symbol that drives the recognition.

And that passion drives advocacy – the advocacy that leads to June 14th being established as National Flag Day by an Act of Congress in August of 1949.

Symbols are just pretty pictures without Passion. Passion is just a strong emotion without Advocacy. All three working in a beautiful union can move mountains and congress and establish unthinkable outcomes.

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