Today marks an American celebration of its symbol of pride&8212;the American flag&8212;and area government and civic organizations are taking part in observing the day. Area cities have decorated their main thoroughfares in stars and stripes for the celebration.

On most national holiday&8217;s, the City of Demopolis is adorned with the American flags flying along U.S. Highway 80. But the displaying of these flags is the result of a civic effort by the Demopolis Kiwanis Club.

Duke and a group of club volunteers met yesterday evening and, one-by-one, placed the flags along the highway.

Linden celebrates

The City of Linden will also be marking their city with the patriotic symbol, but this year they will be displaying new flags.

Bruce Ward, administrative assistant for the city, said the flags were placed around 5 a.m. this morning.

Special flag presentation

As a special tribute to Flag Day, an American flag, which flew over the capitol in Washington, D.C., will fly on the new flag pole placed at Woodhaven Manor which was recently donated by area civic groups.

Lee Belcher, sergeant of arms for the Demopolis Civitan Club, one of the clubs which donated the flag and flag pole to Woodhaven, said the flag will fly Thursday and be taken down on Friday and presented to the residents of the home.

History of Flag Day

Flag Day traditionally is a day designated for celebration of the American Flag. Flag Day (formally named, National Flag Day) is celebrated on June 14, each year. Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.

According to wikipedia.com, in 1916, Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, an Act of Congress established National Flag Day.

Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, though on June 14, 1937, Pennsylvania became the first (and only) U.S. state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday, the Web site reported.

Title 36 Sec. 110 of the US Code is the official statute on Flag Day, however it is at the President&8217;s discretion to proclaim officially the observance, wikipedia.com cited.

Displaying the flag

According to the pbs.org, the American flag should be displayed in the following manner:

The flag is usually displayed from sunrise to sunset. It should be raised briskly and lowered ceremoniously. In inclement weather, the flag should not be flown.

The flag should be displayed daily and on all holidays, weather permitting, on or near the main administration buildings of all public institutions. It should also be displayed in or near every polling place on election days and in or near every schoolhouse during school days.

When displayed against a wall or a window, the blue field should be uppermost and to the left of the observer.

When the flag is raised or lowered as part of a ceremony as it passes by in parade or review, everyone, except those in uniform, should face the flag with the right hand over the heart.

The U.S. flag should never be dipped toward any person or object, nor should the flag ever touch anything beneath it.