For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 12, 2004
Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2004
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
For more than 200 years, the American flag has served as a symbol
of our country's enduring freedom and unity. Old Glory has welcomed
generations of immigrants to America's shores and is displayed proudly
on homes, at schools, and over businesses across our country. During
times of war, our flag has rallied our citizens to defend the blessings
of liberty at home and abroad. It has accompanied our troops into
battle and been given to grieving families at the grave sites of fallen
heroes. Today, as our brave men and women in uniform fight terrorism
and advance freedom, the flag inspires patriotism and pride across our
Nation and around the world.
Each year on June 14, we honor the American flag and recall the
adoption of our first official national flag by the Continental
Congress in 1777. The first Flag Day observances began quietly in the
19th century as State and local celebrations recognizing the
anniversary of the Stars and Stripes. Inspired by these patriotic
gatherings, President Woodrow Wilson established the first national
observance by proclamation in 1916. To commemorate the adoption of our
flag, the Congress, by joint resolution approved August 3, 1949, as
amended (63 Stat. 492), designated June 14 of each year as "Flag Day"
and requested that the President issue an annual proclamation calling
for its observance and for the display of the Flag of the United States
on all Federal Government buildings. The Congress also requested, by
joint resolution approved June 9, 1966, as amended (80 Stat. 194), that
the President issue annually a proclamation designating the week in
which June 14 occurs as "National Flag Week" and calling upon all
citizens of the United States to display the flag during that week.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, do hereby proclaim June 14, 2004, as Flag Day and the week
beginning June 13, 2004, as National Flag Week. I direct the
appropriate officials to display the flag on all Federal Government
buildings during that week, and I urge all Americans to observe Flag
Day and National Flag Week by flying the Stars and Stripes from their
homes and other suitable places. I also call upon the people of the
United States to observe with pride and all due ceremony those days
from Flag Day through Independence Day, also set aside by the Congress
(89 Stat. 211), as a time to honor America, to celebrate our heritage
in public gatherings and activities, and to publicly recite the Pledge
of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of
June, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-eighth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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