Celebrating D.C. Flag Day
Floor Speech
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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in celebrating D.C. Flag Day, Sunday, June 14, 2015, which will be celebrated beginning this Saturday. All are invited to the fourth annual D.C. Flag Day Festival in Dupont Circle, celebrating the determination of the people of the District of Columbia to continue to fight for equal rights and statehood under the American flag. D.C. residents have struggled for equal rights since the city became the nation's capital in 1801. Although the city did not achieve home rule until 1973, D.C. finally got its own flag in 1938, when Congress commissioned a competition, and native Washingtonian Charles Dunn designed the current flag from the coat of arms of George Washington.
Thanks to the D.C. Flag Festival organizers, the event showcases everything that makes D.C. unique--our diverse communities, music, arts, food, and our D.C. flag--all of which will be on display for enjoyment and entertainment. However, on D.C. Flag Day, residents will rally not only for the American flag but also their flag, to show pride in their city and demand statehood. Residents began to celebrate D.C. Flag Day in 2011, and June 14 continues to serve as an important day to mark the quest for freedom and equal rights for the citizens of hometown Washington, D.C. D.C. Flag Day coincides with national Flag Day, which has been a national holiday since 1886, and inspired the organizers of D.C. Flag Day to celebrate the event locally in the District of Columbia.
At this weekend's D.C. Flag Day, we celebrate the District's own flag as well as the American flag. As residents show pride for our country and their hometown, they also continue to fight for the equal treatment the flag symbolizes. The American flag, our national symbol of patriotism and love of country, emboldens our continuous battle for self-government, voting rights, and statehood for the more than 650,000 taxpaying American citizens who live here.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing D.C. Flag Day, its two-day celebration on June 13 and 14, and the organizers of the D.C. Flag Day celebration for their exemplary efforts to ensure equal rights for the citizens of the District of Columbia by creating pride in the city and promoting the city's rich cultural heritage.
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