Scroll down to see how the Flag Steward nonprofit, which Informed, Inspired, & Served more than 1.4 million unique users in 2021,
delivers the most accurate, honorable, and complete national and state half-staff alerts and an informative / inspiring daily 'Pre-Pledge of Allegiance Tribute' for students / citizens to perform and all Americans to witness.
[ Header / top pic by SSweeney of Our Flag flying at Flag Steward HQ in June 2020 ]
delivers the most accurate, honorable, and complete national and state half-staff alerts and an informative / inspiring daily 'Pre-Pledge of Allegiance Tribute' for students / citizens to perform and all Americans to witness.
[ Header / top pic by SSweeney of Our Flag flying at Flag Steward HQ in June 2020 ]
Welcome to today's Half-Staff Alerts and Pre-Pledge Tribute for Thursday, June 16th.
The U.S. Flag is half-staff across Louisiana for a former Congressman, in parts of Florida for a former county commissioner, throughout Mississippi for a fallen officer, across New Mexico for a fallen Marine, and throughout Maryland for a fallen deputy.
The U.S. Flag is half-staff across Louisiana for a former Congressman, in parts of Florida for a former county commissioner, throughout Mississippi for a fallen officer, across New Mexico for a fallen Marine, and throughout Maryland for a fallen deputy.
Keep SCROLLING down to review the Half-Staff alerts details and honoree pics, any UPCOMING national and state Half-Staff alerts, and info on our member-only half-staff and back-to-full-staff text alerts for your state and USA.
[ Students perform and/or listen to their teacher read the daily 'Pre-Pledge Tribute' text in RED ]
Today's Pre-Pledge Tribute recalls ...
[ public domain image of Abraham Lincoln in 1858 ]
On this date, June 16th of 1858, Abe Lincoln gave his "House Divided" speech at Illinois' State Capitol. As one of Illinois' candidates for the US Senator position, Lincoln closed the convention by stating these famous lines from the speech:
"A house divided against itself, cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South."
Thankfully, it did cease to be divided and slavery was abolished.
On this date, June 16th of 1858, Abe Lincoln gave his "House Divided" speech at Illinois' State Capitol. As one of Illinois' candidates for the US Senator position, Lincoln closed the convention by stating these famous lines from the speech:
"A house divided against itself, cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South."
Thankfully, it did cease to be divided and slavery was abolished.
And, now it's time to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Citizens, particularly our students, across the USA, please, join each other in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Thanks for being part of today's Pre-Pledge of Allegiance Tribute.
Now, go out and be a more informed, inspired, respectful citizen.
National and State-Targeted Half-Staff & Back-to-Full-Staff TEXT ALERTS
- a subscriber-only service from the Flag Steward nonprofit
- a subscriber-only service from the Flag Steward nonprofit
GO / CLICK HERE
to get a one-time, LIFETIME subscription for NATIONAL and STATE-TARGETED Half-Staff & Back-to-Full-Staff TEXT ALERTS (just $5 tax-deductible donation).
to get a one-time, LIFETIME subscription for NATIONAL and STATE-TARGETED Half-Staff & Back-to-Full-Staff TEXT ALERTS (just $5 tax-deductible donation).
Another Flag Steward innovation:
On Flag Day, we developed a unique way to recognize a little known patriotic event, HONOR AMERICA DAYS, by launching a new service from Flag Steward - U.S. Flag photo NFTs. Being someone who likes to stay on the leading ( but often landing in the bleeding ;) edge of technology, I decided to develop an exclusive NFT collection to promote this overlooked set of days and, perhaps, get Flag Steward some thinking-out-of-the box recognition.
GO HERE to check out Flag Steward's NFT collection.
If you have any comments, concerns, or suggestions about Flag Steward's NFTs email: Staff@FlagSteward.org
On Flag Day, we developed a unique way to recognize a little known patriotic event, HONOR AMERICA DAYS, by launching a new service from Flag Steward - U.S. Flag photo NFTs. Being someone who likes to stay on the leading ( but often landing in the bleeding ;) edge of technology, I decided to develop an exclusive NFT collection to promote this overlooked set of days and, perhaps, get Flag Steward some thinking-out-of-the box recognition.
GO HERE to check out Flag Steward's NFT collection.
If you have any comments, concerns, or suggestions about Flag Steward's NFTs email: Staff@FlagSteward.org
Half-Staff Alerts & Honorees for June 16
*** Reminder: The Flag orders, by government officials (President, Governor, etc.) are for flags at government facilities within that official's jurisdiction. Citizens are encouraged, but not required to follow the orders.
*** Reminder: The Flag orders, by government officials (President, Governor, etc.) are for flags at government facilities within that official's jurisdiction. Citizens are encouraged, but not required to follow the orders.
All Flags across LOUISIANA (LA: June 16 - 17): Louisiana's Governor ordered all (US & State) Flags at government / public facilities across the state to half-staff, from sunrise on Thu., June 16, to sunset on Fri., June 17, the date of his funeral / celebration of life, in honor of former U.S. Congressman John Cooksey, who represented Louisiana's 5th U.S Rep. District from 1997 - 2003. CLICK HERE to read the Governor's Flag order. GO HERE for info about Cooksey's funeral plans.
[Note: To receive a Back-to-Full-Staff text alert for this order at sunset and all future Louisiana Governor (and US President) Flag orders = GO CLICK HERE ]
[Note: To receive a Back-to-Full-Staff text alert for this order at sunset and all future Louisiana Governor (and US President) Flag orders = GO CLICK HERE ]
All (U.S. & State) Flags atop the State Capitol in Tallahassee and specific government locations hereafter, FLORIDA (FL: June 16): FL Governor ordered all (U.S. & State) Flags, at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, Government Centers in Pasco County, and atop the State Capitol in Tallahassee, to half-staff, from sunrise to sunset on Thu., June 16, to honor the life and service of former Pasco County Commissioner Sylvia Young. CLICK HERE to see the Governor's Flag order.
[Note: To receive future Half-Staff and Back-to-Full-Staff TEXT alerts for Flag orders in Florida and across USA = GO CLICK HERE ]
[Note: To receive future Half-Staff and Back-to-Full-Staff TEXT alerts for Flag orders in Florida and across USA = GO CLICK HERE ]
All Flags across MISSISSIPPI (MS: June 16): Mississippi's Governor ordered all (US & State) Flags at government / public facilities across the state to half-staff, from sunrise to sunset on Thu., June 16, the date of his memorial service, in honor of Meridian Police Officer Kennis Croom, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on June 9. CLICK HERE (hopefully forthcoming) to read the Governor's Flag order. GO HERE to read the Governor's order.
[Note: To receive a Back-to-Full-Staff text alert for this order at sunset and all future Mississippi Governor (and US President) Flag orders = GO CLICK HERE ]
[Note: To receive a Back-to-Full-Staff text alert for this order at sunset and all future Mississippi Governor (and US President) Flag orders = GO CLICK HERE ]
All Flags across NEW MEXICO (NM: June 14 - 16): New Mexico's Governor ordered all (U.S. & State) flags at all state / public facilities in NM, to half-staff,from sunrise on Tue., June 14 until sunset on Thu., June 16, in honor and memory of U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Evan Strickland of Valencia, NM. Strickland was one of five Marines from Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing who were killed in an Osprey aircraft crash during a training exercise in southern California on Wednesday, June 8. GO HERE to read the Governor's Flag order.
[Note: To receive a Back-to-Full-Staff text alert for this order at sunset and all future New Mexico Governor (and US President) Flag orders = GO CLICK HERE ]
[Note: To receive a Back-to-Full-Staff text alert for this order at sunset and all future New Mexico Governor (and US President) Flag orders = GO CLICK HERE ]
All Flags (U.S. & State) across MARYLAND (MD: June 13 - 21): Maryland's Governor ordered all Flags at government / public facilities across the state to half-staff, immediately on Mon., June 13, until sunset on Tue., June 21, the date of his interment, in honor of Deputy First Class Glenn Hilliard of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sun., June 12. CLICK HERE to read the Governor's Flag order. GO HERE to see the funeral plans in his obituary.
[Note: To receive a Back-to-Full-Staff text alert for this order at sunset and all future Maryland Governor (and US President) Flag orders = GO CLICK HERE ]
[Note: To receive a Back-to-Full-Staff text alert for this order at sunset and all future Maryland Governor (and US President) Flag orders = GO CLICK HERE ]
Upcoming Half-Staffs
Half-Staff Flag Etiquette (Procedures):
Flag-raising at sunrise = hoist the Flags to full staff, then lower slowly, respectfully to half-staff
Flag-lowering at sunset = hoist Flags up from half-staff back to full-staff, then lower slowly, respectfully all the way down for removal
Flag-raising at sunrise = hoist the Flags to full staff, then lower slowly, respectfully to half-staff
Flag-lowering at sunset = hoist Flags up from half-staff back to full-staff, then lower slowly, respectfully all the way down for removal
Stars & Stripes Flag Etiquette:
[Cover of U.S. Government Publication]
The U.S. Flag Code:
provides Our Flag's Rules and Regulations (CLICK HERE for full details)
[HIGHLIGHTS OF: The U.S. Flag Code stating how citizens should conduct themselves during this ceremony is below.]
Title 36, Chapter 10 PATRIOTIC CUSTOMS
National anthem; Star-Spangled Banner, conduct during playing:
During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.
Note: A new law was passed on October 30, 2008 that authorizes veterans and active-duty military not in uniform can now render the military-style hand salute during the playing of the national anthem. This publication is currently being updated to reflect the new law.
Pledge of Allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery:
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.", should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.
Flag Steward (formerly known as Beacon of Honor and originally incorporated as GivingVu.org, Inc. in 2013) is a nonpartisan, student-inspired, Veteran-led 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit organization based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Tax ID# 46-2457373
