Sam Gibbons: “ladies and gentlemen, today is Flag Day, of course, and a day to honor the symbol of our Nation, a symbol of our…”

“ladies and gentlemen, today is Flag Day, of course, and a day to honor the symbol of our Nation, a symbol of our independence and a symbol of American ideals. Historically, the idea of celebrating an annual holiday honoring the United States flag and the anniversary of the official adoption of ``The Stars and Stripes'' is believed to have first originated in 1885 by a school teacher in Wisconsin. In the years following, the tradition grew; and in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson established Flag Day by a proclamation. Over 3 decades later, President Truman would sign an Act of Congress officially designating June 14 of each year as National Flag Day. I, like many Americans, look at our flag and see our history, our triumphs; and most importantly, I see our future. Today is a day to unite to pay tribute to the symbol which has grown with our country and represented our Nation's ideas since it first flew as ``The Stars and Stripes'' in 1777. On this day, I am proud to honor our flag and all that it represents.”