Martin Luther King is a man who strived to do good in a non-violent way to change the way the majority thought and acted. Behavior over a long period of time had been ingrained in a large part of society. Many wanted a separate but equal society, in the 60’s and for years before and some years after, it was separate, but not equal. On Monday, January 18th we celebrated Dr. King’s birth. In the early eighties the Congress approve and President Reagan signed the Martin Luther King holiday. Which some have called “Human Rights Day.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. - photograph taken in 1964.

Was Dr. King perfect, no, he was as human as the next individual; we have learned that he made the same mistakes as others who have had power put into their hands. But even with his personal faults he became the symbol of a people and a generation that strived for equality in treatment and behavior of all the people of the world.

President John F. Kennedy meets with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King's signature.

As Theodore Roosevelt said, he was a man in the arena, and he did not shirk from what he knew was right. Dr. King suffered verbal and physical attacks to him, his family and his co-workers. (Read the “I have a dream” speech) He was the youngest man to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize; he worked with John Kennedy to move the rights of minorities forward, and in 1965 he stood over President Johnson as he signed the Voters Rights Act a measure that was one of his key accomplishments.

President Ronald Reagan signs Martin Luther King Holiday Bill.

Like all men who stand against the status quo, he paid the highest price with his life. In this upcoming week, remember those who have made a difference and fly the flag.

"Honululu Star-Bulletin" on December 7th 1941.

Route followed by the Japanese fleet to Pearl Harbor and back.

As the fleet laid at anchored in a clam harbor the process of daily life was coming about. On the deck of the USS Arizona the band was playing the National Anthem as sailors were raising the flag when the first bullets were fired and bombs & torpedo’s dropped. The first ship hit by a torpedo in the attack was the aging target ship, and once proud Battleship Utah. She was a veteran of the Mexican conflict and World War I and the first causality of World War II. The Utah was hit first because she was on the opposite side of Battleship Row were the real targets where anchored, but she was closest to the on coming planes. The Utah like the USS Oklahoma was hit in such a fashion that she quickly rolled over facing straight down at berth. Many crew-members never made it out of their ships to see the light of another day.

Map of Ships in Pearl Harbor.

When the USS Arizona blew up as an enemy bomb pierce her deck and landed in her magazine full of munitions, the force of the explosion took the ship right up out of the water and almost broke in two. Her causality numbers were great. The Attack did not last long, but its impact was devastating.

Attack on Pearl Harbor.

USS Pennsylvania, behind the wreckage of the USS Downes and USS Cassin.

In the days that followed airplane hangers, and open yards where lined with wooded coffins draped in the red, white and blue of our proud Flag. So many wives, mothers and husbands heard the words of a military officer as they handed them a neatly folded flag. On behalf of the President of the United States and a grateful Nation, we present you this flag in honor of your son, daughter’s or husband’s service. Remember Pearl Harbor, and other phrases like remembering the Alamo, and Maine, and closer to our generation remember 9/11 should never be forgotten.

Be one of America’s proud defenders of liberty and freedom, fly the Flag!

The "tears of the Arizona" today - Photo by James G. Howes

An aerial view of the USS Arizona Memorial.

USS Utah in better times.

Colonial Flag Company is celebrating  the Utah State Flag’s birthday in a big way.  Company seamstresses have produced a gigantic Utah State Flag which was raised today, the 9^th of March, on the 80 foot flagpole in front of the Utah State Capitol by Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell.  The 20 by 30 foot flag, which weighs over 22 pounds folded, will fly all day in honor of the one hundredth anniversary of the adoption of the Utah State Flag.

The huge flag has had a big impact.  The Utah State Senate has been considering House Bill 490 to officially designate March 9^th as Utah State Flag Day.  However, with the State Senate overburdened by critical legislation, it seemed likely that the session would end without the Senate taking action on H.B. 490.  Seeing Colonial’s huge flag flying on the centennial anniversary day of the Utah State Flag inspired the senators to suspend the rules and pass House Bill 490.  Consequently from this year forward, March 9^th is officially recognized as Utah State Flag Day.

On Thursday, March 10^th the huge flag will be raised in front of Colonial Flag Company Headquarters and Showroom located at 9390 South 300 West in Sandy, Utah.

The flag, sewn entirely on site in Sandy, is a beautiful example of the flag-making art.  It is double appliquéd so that the image is perfect on both sides.  The pattern, produced by Colonial Flag’s graphic artist, David Rindlisbach, honors the first color version of the Utah State Flag adopted in 1913.

Although the story of the Utah State Flag stretches back to 1903, its official history began on March 9^th in 1911 when the design of the first flag became law.  While the first design was a white emblem embroidered on a blue field, the current color version was adopted in 1913.  An error made in the design of a Utah State Flag produced in 1922 has been repeated by flag-makers until this year.  Less than a month ago the Utah Legislature passed House Concurrent Resolution 2 to correct that error.  However, the Resolution allows existing flags to be used until they need to be replaced.

Consequently, at this first celebration of Utah State Flag Day, the gigantic Utah flag is one of only a relatively small number of correct Utah State Flags in existence.  The others are part of Colonial Flag Company’s initial order of the correct pattern, and are available for sale at Colonial Flag Company’s Showroom located at 9390 South 300 West in Sandy.

Because of Colonial Flag Company’s efforts there were correct flags on display to celebrate the Centennial of the Utah State Flag, the first Utah State Flag Day.  We are proud to be a part of honoring the Utah State Flag on its centennial.

Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th President of the United States.

Their lives were hard in the early years of the Presidency as the seat of Government was moved from New York to Philadelphia to something that was to be called the District of Columbia. A piece of ground between Virginia and Maryland, we now call Washington, D.C., the District or many other things when we get angry. The District was named to honor Columbus, but re-named Washington City for George Washington after his death.

President’s for the first 150 years were plagued by office seekers and members of Congress seeking some favor for an individual or their states. Not much has changed but access to get to the President has become nearly impossible. People in the 19^th Century could walk right into the White House (The Executive Mansion as it was known before 1901) and ask to meet with the President. Limits on their powers and flexibility on what they can do has also been limited by Congress in an effort to place some checks and balances in our system of government.

We use to honor President’s such as Washington and Lincoln on their birthday’s February 12^th & 22^nd but Congress felt we should honor all former President’s with one day in February.

George Washington, 1st President of the United States.

Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States.

Four President’s have surrender their lives in performing their duties, all died by assassin’s bullets. Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy. Others have die in office like William H. Harrison who only served 31 days to Franklin D. Roosevelt who served longer than any other man.

Presidents have the burden of organizing a government after they are elected. The former President takes all their papers and files with them, the new President come to an empty desk and always a large list of problems. He only has ideas that he wishes to develop into policy and supporters who will help him achieve his goals.

Presidents George H. W. Bush, Obama, George W. Bush, Clinton, and Carter in Oval Office.

It has been an honor to have worked for 5 President’s; I have enjoyed it, but still don’t understand why an individual would want such a job with the problems and dangers that the job comes with.

Once a year we honor these men, showing them the respect they deserve, honor them, fly the Flag!

Utah’s first flag was made in March of 1903 by ZCMI seamstress, Agnes Tuedt Frenelius at the direction of the Utah State Society of the Daughters of the Revolution.  The organization received a request from Governor Heber M. Wells, for a flag to be display at the St. Louis World’s Fair.

The word “Utah” was added to the bottom of the flag sometime after 1905.

The flag above was adopted by Legislature as the state flag through SJR 17 by Senate President Henry Gardner on March 9, 1911.

Utah’s flag celebrates its centennial anniversary this year from when the flag was originally adopted in 1911. HCR 2 (Rep. Julie Fisher) reaffirms the statute of 1913 (the last code to describe Utah’s flag) and encourages flag manufacturers to follow current Utah code.  The resolution provides an opportunity for Utah’s school children to learn about the political process while learning about the flag’s history and encourages future generations to honor the flag and those who came before us.  Flags currently in use may continue to be used until no longer in good repair.

The picture above is a copy of the only known photo of the 1913 flag (minimal quality from an old newspaper).  The description and colors were taken from language found in the Senate Journal and the original resolution found in the State Archives.

Below is the current Utah flag. In 1922, the “1847” was mistakenly put just above the “1896” and not on the shield, which does not follow the statute and has been perpetuated to this day.

Utah’s flag celebrates its centennial anniversary this year from when the flag was originally adopted in 1911.  HCR 2 (Rep. Julie Fisher) reaffirms the statute of 1913 (the last code to describe Utah’s flag) and encourages flag manufacturers to follow current Utah code.

The resolution provides an opportunity for Utah’s school children to learn about the political process while learning about the flag’s history and encourages future generations to honor the flag and those who came before us.

Flags currently in use may continue to be used until no longer in good repair.

The graphic above is a representation of the flag based on the 1913 resolution, and the surviving photograph. The description and colors were taken from language found in the Senate Journal and the original resolution found in the State Archives.

The flag is based on the Utah seal approved on April 3, 1896 through H. B. 164 by Rep. Edward Critchlow, as required by the Utah Constitution.  It was based on a design submission by Harry Edwards and Charles M. Jackson.  The flag displays an American bald eagle, a shield and six arrows which represent the six Indian tribes found in the territory at statehood.  Also displayed are the state motto, “INDUSTRY”, the beehive, the state flower the sego lily, (also adopted in 1911), the name “UTAH” and the year the pioneers enter the valley 1847.  The shield is surrounded by two partially shown period US flags on staffs with the date of statehood, 1896 below.  A thin gold ring surrounding the crest and gold fringe on its border finishes the flag.

In 2011 Colonial Flag will highlight selected Flag Days celebrated in the United States and around the world.  These flag days are Flag Facts and in order to highlight these we have compiled a list of Flag Days celebrated in America as well as important Flag Days in other nations.  To spotlight these special days each month we will announce on our Web site and post articles to our blog (flag-post.com).  Additionally, we will make postings to our Facebook page, and the Colonial Flag Showroom will host special events to lead the celebrations.

Click here to see the compiled list of Flag Days.  While it would be impossible to include all Flag Days, we want to do our best to remember the days that are important to our community!

Contact us if you have you a Flag Day to suggest that we may have missed.  Share with us any observance your group may be planning which includes the display of flags.

Flags add color and excitement to any scene, but additionally they have meaning to those who display them.  They remind us of history and inspire us to action.  Join us at Colonial Flag in the celebration of flags throughout the year!

Nevertheless, display of the flag at Christmas time has roots that reach back at least a century.  In nineteenth century depictions of Santa Claus, he sometimes was shown wearing a costume that looks like it was made for Uncle Sam including striped pants and a starry jacket.  Images of the Jolly Old Elf with the Stars and Stripes continue into our own century with modern nutcrackers, ornaments and illustrations.  Colonial Flag is certainly no stranger to Old Saint Nick.

We like to say that Santa Claus shops with us.  Drop by our showroom and you just might see a sleigh in the parking lot.

Our family at Colonial Flag and the Healing Field Foundation join Santa in wishing you and your loved ones the Merriest of Christmas Celebrations. May you find joy and happiness during the Yuletide and in the coming year!

Strange as it may seem, the original flag resolution of 1777 does not say anything about the stars representing the individual states.  This is equally true for all the legal descriptions of the United States flag that have followed.  Nothing is said about the stripes representing individual founding colonies.  Nothing is said about stars representing sates.  Note the words of the original flag resolution: “Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”

The resolution says only that there are thirteen red and white stripes, and that there are thirteen white stars in a blue field.  The stars together “represent a new constellation.”  Colonies or states are not mentioned at all.

Similarly, flag laws adopted in 1794, 1818 and most recently in 1947 make no mention of the stars and stripes symbolizing states.  Again, the states are not mentioned at all.  Only the number of stars and the number of stripes are given.  Still, the debate that has accompanied each change in the flag’s design convinces us that symbolism of the states on the flag has always been intended.  We understand that the thirteen stars and stripes of the first flag did in fact symbolize the thirteen British Colonies that had declared their independence.  Since that time, the symbolism of the states on the flag has continued.  The flag’s history tells us this is correct.

Americans may still want to find their state’s star.  There is not harm in this.  In the last hundred years various book have been published with charts showing starts linked to individual states.  The chart shown above was published in 1930 by the eminent flag historian Colonel James A. Moss.  It shows the pattern of stars for the forty-eight star flag which was then in use.  Others have produced similar charts.

Nevertheless, there is no support in the law or in early tradition to link any one star to any individual state.  When this is done, the order of the states ratifying the constitution is usually used to link stars to the states.  However, the flag had existed for more than ten years before the states began to ratify the constitution.  The thirteen British Colonies together created a new nation.  That nation rose among the nations and empires of the world like a new constellation rises among the stars and constellations of the nighttime sky.  The original flag represented the constellation of stars, the union of states.  No one state is singled out.

Another problem exists with using the dates of ratification to determine the order of stars for the first thirteen states.  It is revealed by a question.  How many states were in the union when George Washington was inaugurated?  That is a trick question.  We almost automatically answer thirteen.  Thirteen colonies did declare independence on July fourth 1776.  Thirteen states did form a government under the Article of Confederation.  Nevertheless, on the day of Washington’s first inaugural, April thirtieth of 1789, only eleven of the thirteen states had ratified the Constitution.  North Carolina ratified the Constitution seven whole months later.  Rhode Island did not ratify until May twenty-ninth of 1890, more than a year after Washington took office.  If we used the order of ratification to find the states symbolized by the thirteen stars found on the flag as Washington began his first term, there would have been two blank stars, two stars that did not represent any state.

So no order can logically be given to the first thirteen states or stars.  How can the rest of the states then be ordered without the first thirteen.  It is, therefore, more appropriate that the fifty stars on the flag together represent the Union as a whole.  The constellation of our union is no longer new, but the symbolism of the flag remains the same.  The flag represents the constellation of stars, the union of states.  That is why we call the starry field of blue on the United State flag the Union.  That is why when the stars alone are displayed on a small flag flown at the bow of ships it is call the Union Jack.  When the Union forces fought during the American Civil War, it was to defend and save the Union.  It is the Union that from the Civil War forward that has defined us not as Virginians, Georgians, Pennsylvanians or New Yorkers—but as Americans.  The Union, one nation indivisible.

Others did not agree.  One suggestion seems particularly bizarre.  Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of the telegraph asked, “…what is to become of the flag of the union . . .”?  He did not believe in coercion to maintain the Union.  He suggested that the flag, like the map, be divided giving each “confederacy” one half of the stripes and the appropriate number of stars.  Morse prophesied that at some future time the two nations would reunite and the two flags “…would clasp fittingly together, and the glorious old flag of the union, in its entirely, would be hoisted, once more embracing all the sister states.”

Flag of the North.

Flag of the South.

Lincoln refused Morse’s suggestion.  The war over the division of the map and the flag took five bitter years of battle and death to resolve.  This established, as the Pledge of Allegiance later clearly defined, that we are “one nation indivisible.”

In 1824 William Driver took command of a merchant vessel named the Charles Doggett.  Proud of her son’s new assignment, William’s mother and several of her friends made him a beautiful ship’s ensign.  The flag originally had twenty-four stars.  According to several versions of the story, the flag was folded into a triangle for presentation.  A minister consecrated the ensign pointing in turn to the three corners of the triangular package, as he intoned the names of the Christian Trinity.  At each reference to Diety, the people answered, “Glory, Glory and Glory.”  Captain Driver then hoisted his new ships flag and told his crew, “I’ll call her Old Glory, boys, Old Glory.”

A ships ensign did not survive long in the wind and weather of the high seas.  We can simply guess that William Driver only flew the ensign on special occasions.  When not flying over his ship, Driver stowed Old Glory in a camphor wood sea chest.  The flag accompanied Captain Driver to exotic ports around the world.

In 1837 Driver quit the sea and moved to Nashville, Tennessee.  Still preserving Old Glory in his sea chest, the Captain displayed his ship’s ensign proudly on holidays.  His neighbors learned of his fierce patriotism and loyalty to the United States.  As the Civil War approached, Captain Driver’s wife and daughters updated Old Glory adding ten new stars and an anchor to the field of blue.  The anchor honored the Captain’s years at sea.

Just after Tennessee proclaimed its secession from the Union, William Driver again displayed Old Glory from his Nashville home.  Then, fearing rebel soldiers might confiscate his flag, he had it sewn into a quilt cover.  Confederates did search his house and property, but never found Old Glory’s hiding place.

In February of 1862, Federal troops entered Nashville.  Captain Driver met soldiers from the Ohio 6^th Infantry Regiment at the Tennessee Capitol.  Driver carried his ship’s flag, Old Glory in his arms.  He hoisted the flag over the spire of the Statehouse.  The 6^th Ohio Regiment adopted “Old Glory” as their motto.  Newspapers reported the incident and the nickname of Old Glory spread throughout the Union.  So, once only the name William Driver called his ship’s flag, Old Glory became in time the name for all United States flags.

William Driver presented Old Glory to his daughter, Mary Jane Driver Roland.  She transported the artifact by train from Nashville, Tennessee to Ogden, Utah Territory.  Mary Jane carried the folded flag in her lap during the long trip, fearful it might be lost.   From Ogden she traveled by wagon for the remaining three hundred miles to her home in northern Nevada.  In 1922, the Smithsonian Institution acquired Old Glory.  By this time it was too fragile to unfold.  Only black and white photographs existed.  For decades textile curators stored the flag unseen by the public.  Finally in 1982, the Smithsonian conserved the delicate flag and placed it on display for the first time.  Together with the Star Spangled Banner, Old Glory can be seen in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.