“…Totems”

Today is June 14th Flag Day. A day honoring our national and now state flags. The holiday commemorates the date in 1777 when the United States approved the design for its first national flag. Before this there were many variations. Above, I’m very partial to the 34 star 1863 U.S. flag. Under which during the Civil War the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Also the new Juneteenth banner for the freeing of the last Slaves in the South.

We used to honor this holiday before the Vietnam era made our flag a symbol of contention. This as partisan groups claimed it as theirs and theirs alone…this continues. Flag Day like Memorial Day has changed. In the last 50 years one vanished the other became a consumer sale day.  

Locally here in NYC. The day honored not only the Stars and Stripes but also the many banners of our republic. As a child I remember seeing the flags of many nations hanging from the windows of homes and businesses. These honoring both our republic and the lands many came from. As we are many so we are one. E pluribus unum.