The American Flag is more than red, white, and blue cloth. It is a record of the country's growth, a set of carefully chosen meanings, and the keeper of more than a few remarkable stories. Here are ten facts about Old Glory that even proud Americans often miss.

  1. There have been 27 official versions of the flag. The original 1777 design carried 13 stars and 13 stripes for the 13 colonies. As each new state joined the Union, a star was added. The current 50-star flag, adopted in 1960, is the longest-serving version in American history.
  2. A 17-year-old designed the flag we fly today. In 1958, Ohio high schooler Robert G. Heft created the 50-star design for a class project, anticipating that Alaska and Hawaii would soon join the Union. His teacher gave him a B minus. When Congress chose Heft's design two years later, the grade was changed to an A.
  3. The colors were chosen for their meaning. Red, white, and blue were not picked simply because they looked striking together. Drawing on the symbolism of the Great Seal, red stands for hardiness and valor, white for purity and innocence, and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
  4. It can fly around the clock, if it is lit. The U.S. Flag Code calls for the flag to be displayed from sunrise to sunset. But it may fly 24 hours a day as a patriotic gesture, provided it is properly illuminated through the night.
  5. Six American flags stand on the Moon. Apollo astronauts planted a flag on each of the six crewed lunar landings. Decades of unfiltered sunlight have likely bleached them white, but they remain, the only flags of any nation on another world.
  6. The flag has its own code of conduct. Adopted in 1942, the U.S. Flag Code sets out how the flag should be displayed, handled, and respected, from how it is raised and lowered to how it should never touch the ground.
  7. "Old Glory" began as one specific flag. The nickname now belongs to the whole Stars and Stripes, but it started with a single banner owned by sea captain William Driver, who named his flag Old Glory in 1831 and protected it through the Civil War.
  8. Worn flags receive a dignified retirement. When a flag becomes too tattered to display, it is not thrown away. Flag etiquette calls for it to be retired in a respectful ceremony, traditionally by burning, often led by veterans or scouting organizations.
  9. The flag is folded 13 times. At a military funeral, honor guards fold the flag into a tight triangle with 13 precise folds, leaving only the blue field and stars visible. Many associate a special meaning with each fold.
  10. The U.S. flag dips to no one. By custom, the American Flag is not lowered to any person or thing. The tradition is often traced to the 1908 London Olympics, where the American flag bearer reportedly refused to dip the colors before the royal box.

Each of these facts points back to the same truth: the flag is not a static emblem but a living symbol, shaped by the people who have carried it, saluted it, and passed it on. The more you learn about it, the more there is to honor.