Happy Birthday American Flag and U.S. Army!

Stars and Stripes Festival Celebrates the Birthday of Two American Institutions

Wednesday, June 14

Celebrate Flag Day and the U.S. Army's 248th birthday with programs at the National Constitution Center and across Independence Mall. At the Center, learn about the creation of the American flag, speak with Army veterans, and join a conversation with Betsy Ross. Special programming continues throughout the day on the Center's front lawn and with partner organizations from Philadelphia's Historic District.

History of the American Flag

Wednesday, June 14 | 12 p.m. ET

Tune in for this special show, led by the National Constitution Center’s education team, and discover the history and symbolism of the American flag and learn all about the proper way to display it. Test your knowledge of flag facts and discover how the American flag has changed over time.

Betsy Ross: Beyond the First Flag

Wednesday, June 14 | 1:45 p.m. ET

Celebrate Flag Day with a special conversation featuring Betsy Ross. Betsy will discuss her career as a successful businesswoman, her support of the American Revolution, and the story of how she was credited with designing the first American flag. Join historic interpreter Carol Spacht and learn more about this beloved founding figure at this special program presented in partnership by the National Constitution Center, Historic Philadelphia, Inc., and the Betsy Ross House.

Army Veteran Chat

Wednesday, June 14 | 2:45 p.m. ET

Celebrate one of the United State's oldest institutions—the U.S. Army! Commemorate the Army’s birthday with a conversation featuring Army veterans sharing their stories of service, and answering questions from participants.

Juneteenth

Juneteenth Celebration

Monday, June 19

Juneteenth marks our country’s second Independence Day: the oldest national commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, and nearly five months after the 13th Amendment was proposed (it would not be ratified until December 6, 1865), enslaved people in Texas learned that they were free.

The Four Harriets of History

Monday, June 19 at 9:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. ET

Explore the lives of four American women—Harriet Robinson Scott, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Jacobs, and Harriet Beecher Stowe—who confronted slavery through literature, lawsuits, and direct action in their efforts to free themselves and others from bondage.

History of Juneteenth

Monday, June 19 I 10:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. ET

Join the Center’s education team as we walk through the events of June 19, 1865, to commemorate Juneteenth and the end of slavery in the United States. Together we’ll examine the Emancipation Proclamation, the 13th Amendment, and how the battles for freedom and equality shaped the nation.

Road to Freedom: The Story of Slavery in America

Monday, June 19 at 2:45 p.m. ET

This program explores the story of slavery in the United States through a constitutional lens, taking visitors on a journey from the time of the Constitutional Convention to the start of the Civil War. It will spotlight historic figures—like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ona Judge, Angelina Grimke, Harriet Tubman, William Still, and Abraham Lincoln—and key events—such as the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott case, and the secession of the South.

This Week in Constitutional History

Race, Love, and the 14th Amendment

June 12, 1967

In June 1958, Mildred Jeter, a black woman, and Richard Loving, a white man, were married in Washington, D.C. The newlyweds returned to their home state of Virginia to find they had been charged with violating the state's statute banning interracial marriages.

The Lovings were sentenced to one year in jail, but the judge agreed to suspend the sentence if the Lovings would vacate Virginia and not return for 25 years.

The couple then moved to the District of Columbia and started the legal process to contest the convictions under the Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment Due Process and Equal Protection clauses.

On June 12, 1967, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Lovings.

Head over to Constitution Daily to learn more about the Lovings and browse the 14th Amendment module for a deep dive into due process, equal protection, and more.

14th AMENDMENT MODULE

More From the National Constitution Center

Deliberation and Democratic Norms in America

Tuesday, June 13 | 12 p.m. ET

In today’s polarized political climate, how can Americans foster constructive conversations and compromise across the political spectrum to address the nation’s most pressing issues? Ronnie Janoff-Bulman, psychologist and author of The Two Moralities: Conservatives, Liberals, and the Roots of Our Political Divide; Matthew Levendusky, political scientist and author of Our Common Bonds: Using What Americans Share to Help Bridge the Partisan Divide; and Kenji Yoshino, legal scholar and author of Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice, join for a conversation exploring the roots of America’s political divide, various strategies for overcoming partisan gridlock, and how and why to engage in difficult discussions to secure the future of democracy. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.

This program is made possible through the generous support of Citizen Travelers, the nonpartisan civic engagement initiative of Travelers.

Thank you for being part of our community of educators. If you have any questions, need assistance, or have feedback to share, we’d love to hear from you. Please email the education team at [email protected].

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