Mr. Speaker. I rise today to honor the father of Flag Day. Illinois own Dr. Bernard Cigrand. on its 100th anniversary. An immigrant and a teacher. Dr. Cigrand believed his students needed a symbol to instill a sense of national identity. He first celebrated our flags birthday with his students on June 14. 1885. 108 years after its official adoption by Congress. Thus began his lifes work to create a National Flag Day. He wrote articles for magazines and newspapers. He gave lectures and wrote a book on the flags importance. Soon. schools caught on. and more than 100.000 children participated in an Illinois celebration in 1894.
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