Celebrate Flag Day on June 14

Are you waving an American flag for Flag Day? Take note of these interesting facts about flag etiquette, gleaned from the American Flag Foundation:

• Try and keep the flag from touching the ground, but if it does, there is not requirement to destroy it, as often believed. Note that the flag code does not prohibit washing or dry cleaning the flag.
• Although the traditional way of folding the flag is in a triangle shape, the Flag Code does not specify this.
• Not just anyone can order that the American flag be flown at half-staff. Only the president of the United States or a state governor has this right.

Tax-Free Flags

American, Maryland, Prisoner of War and Missing in Action flags are exempt from Maryland's 6 percent sales tax, not only on Flag Day, but on any other day of the year.

The flag sales tax exemption can be found under the Tax-General Article of the Maryland Code, Section 11-205.

Establishment of Flag Day

President Woodrow Wilson established Flag Day in 1916, and in 1949 President Harry Truman made June 14 its national day of recognition, according to the Library of Congress.

Legend has it that George Washington commissioned Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross to create a flag for the United States in 1776. Including hers, 27 official versions of the flag have been created, with the current, 50-star flag being the pattern of choice since July 4, 1960, when the U.S. added Hawaii, according to the Library of Congress.