Inspiring Flag Quotes: A Powerful Collection of Patriotic Wisdom

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country."

- John F. Kennedy

"When we honor our flag we honor what we stand for as a Nation — freedom, equality, justice, and hope."

- Ronald Reagan

"I am the flag of the United States of America. I fly atop the world's tallest buildings. I stand watch in America's halls of justice. I stand side by side with the Maple Leaf on the worlds' longest undefended border. I fly majestically over institutions of learning. I stand guard with power in the world. Look up and see me. I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice. I stand for freedom. I am confident. I am arrogant. I am proud. When I am flown with my fellow banners, my head is a little higher, my colors a little truer. I bow to no one! I am recognized all over the world. I am worshipped — I am saluted. I am loved — I am revered. I am respected — and I am feared. I have fought in every battle of every war for more then 200 years. I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appomattox. I was there at San Juan Hill, the trenches of France, in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy. Guam, Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me, I was there. I led my troops, I was dirty, battle worn and tired, but my soldiers cheered me And I was proud. I have been burned, torn and trampled on the streets of countries I have helped set free. It does not hurt, for I am invincible. I have been soiled upon, burned, torn and trampled on the streets of my country. And when it's by those whom I've served in battle — it hurts. But I shall overcome — for I am strong. I have slipped the bonds of Earth and stood watch over the uncharted frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon. I have borne silent witness to all of America's finest hours. But my finest hours are yet to come. When I am torn into strips and used as bandages for my wounded comrades on the battlefield, When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier, Or when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving parent at the grave of their fallen son or daughter, I am proud. MY NAME IS OLD GLORY. LONG MAY I WAVE."

- Howard Schnauber

"The flag of the United States has not been created by rhetorical sentences in declarations of independence and in bills of rights. It has been created by the experience of a great people, and nothing is written upon it that has not been written by their life. It is the embodiment, not of a sentiment, but of a history."

- Woodrow Wilson

"We take the star from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing liberty."

- George Washington

"Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

- FS Key

"You're the emblem of The land I love. The home of the free and the brave."

- George M. Cohan

"We take the stars from heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity, representing our liberty."

- George Washington, attributed

"We identify the flag with almost everything we hold dear on earth, peace, security, liberty, our family, our friends, our home… but when we look at our flag and behold it emblazoned with all our rights we must remember that it is equally a symbol of our duties. Every glory that we associate with it is the result of duty done."

- Calvin Coolidge

"Our flag means all that our fathers meant in the revolutionary War. It means all that the Declaration of Independence meant. It means justice. It means liberty. It means happiness… Every color means liberty. Every thread means liberty. Every star and stripe means liberty."

- Henry Ward Beecher

"I believe our flag is more than just cloth and ink. It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty, and freedom. It is the history of our nation, and it's marked by the blood of those who died defending it."

- John Thune

"This flag, which we honor and under which we serve, is the emblem of our unity, our power, our thought and purpose as a nation. It has no other character than that which we give it from generation to generation. The choices are ours. It floats in majestic silence above the hosts that execute those choices, whether in peace or in war. And yet, though silent, it speaks to us — speaks to us of the past, or the men and women who went before us, and of the records they wrote upon it."

- Woodrow Wilson

"O beautiful banner all splendid with stars, That in the breeze is flying, Proud emblem of the free! My heart and hand salute you, Dear flag of liberty. From ocean to ocean you brighten our land, O'er prairie, forest, mountain, Superb against the sky. Oh flag for which men labor! Oh flag for which men die!"

- Homer H. Harbour and Birdsall Otis Edey

"You're a grand old flag, You're a high flying flag And forever in peace may you wave. You're the emblem of The land I love. The home of the free and the brave. Ev'ry heart beats true 'neath the Red, White and Blue, Where there's never a boast or brag. Should auld acquaintance be forgot, Keep your eye on the grand old flag."

- George M. Cohan

"Hats off! Along the street there comes A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums, A flash of color beneath the sky: Hats off! The flag is passing by! Blue and crimson and white it shines Over the steel-tipped, ordered lines. Hats off! The colors before us fly But more than the flag is passing by. Sea-fights and land-fights, grim and great, Fought to make and to save the State: Weary marches and sinking ships; Cheers of victory on dying lips; Days of plenty and years of peace; March of a strong land's swift increase; Equal justice, right and law, Stately honor and reverend awe; Sign of a nation, great and strong To ward her people from foreign wrong: Pride and glory and honor, --all Live in the colors to stand or fall. Hats off! Along the street there comes A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums; And loyal hearts are beating high: Hats off! The flag is passing by!"

- Henry Holcomb Bennett

"The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world."

- John F. Kennedy

"We identify the flag with almost everything we hold dear on earth, peace, security, liberty, our family, our friends, our home... But when we look at our flag and behold it emblazoned with all our rights we must remember that it is equally a symbol of our duties. Every glory that we associate with it is the result of duty done."

- Calvin Coolidge

"When we honor our flag, we honor what we stand for as a nation—freedom, equality, justice, and hope."

- Ronald Reagan

"The red and white and starry blue - is freedom's shield and hope."

- John Philip Sousa

"Said Washington to Betsy Ross, "A flag our nation needs To lead our valiant soldiers on to high and noble deeds Now can you make one for us, to which she made reply, "I am not certain if I can; At least I'll gladly try." Chorus: So she took some red for the blood they shed Some white for purity, Some stars so bright from the sky overhead Some blue for loyalty, And sewed them all together, For loyal hearts and true, And hand in hand as one we stand For the red, the white and the blue. Said Betsy Ross to Washington, "Your country's flag behold!" And through his tear-dimmed eyes he saw the stars and stripes unfold. Then to his breast he clasped it, and looked to heaven above. "Oh may it ever stand," he cried, "For rights and truth and love.""

- Popular school song, as recalled and submitted by Anne Dreisbach

"'Twas red with the blood of freemen and white with the fear of the foe; And the stars that fit in their courses 'gainst tyrants its symbols know."

- Julia Ward Howe

"Each red stripe has blazoned forth Gospels writ in blood; Every star has sung the birth Of some deathless good."

- Lucy Larcom

"Patriotism comes from the heart. Patriotism is voluntary... A patriot shows their patriotism through their actions, by their choice."

- Gov. Jesse Ventura

"Our flag is red, white and blue, but our nation is a rainbow — red, yellow, brown, black and white — and we're all precious in God's sight."

- Jesse Jackson

"Shoot if you must, this old grey head, But spare your country's flag," she said."

- John Greenleaf Whittier

"Our flag is not just one of many political points of view. Rather, the flag is a symbol of our national unity."

- Adrian Cronauer

"Ev'ry heart beats true 'neath the Red, White and Blue."

- George M. Cohan

"A flag appears 'mid thunderous cheers, The banner of the Western land. The emblem of the brave and true."

- John Philip Sousa

"A nation thrills, a nation bleeds, A nation follows where it leads, And every man is proud to yield His life upon a crimson field For Betsy's battle flag."

- Minna Irving

"Here's to the red of it; There's not a thread of it — No nor a shred of it — In all the spread of it, From foot to head, But heroes bled for it, Faced steel and lead for it — Precious blood shed for it, Bathing it red. Here's to the white of it; Thrilled by the sight of it, Who knows the right of it But has felt the might of it Through day and night? Womanhood's care for it Made manhood dare for it; Purity's prayer for it Kept it so white Here's to the blue of it, Heavenly view of it, Star spangled hue of it, Honesty's due of it, Constant and true; Here's to the whole of it — Stars, stripes and pole of it — Here's to the soul of it, Red white and blue."

- John Jay Daly

"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it."

- Mark Twain

"A person gets from a symbol the meaning he puts into it."

- The United States Supreme Court

"I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice. I stand for freedom. I am confident. I am arrogant. I am proud."

- Howard Schnauber

"O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave/O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

- Francis Scott Key

"I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself, the pictured suggestion of that big thing which makes this nation."

- Franklin Knight Lane

"Americans revere their flag as a symbol of the Nation. Indeed, it is because of that reverence that the amendment is under consideration. Few countries in the world would think of amending their Constitution for the purpose of protecting such a symbol…. If they are destroying a flag that belongs to someone else, that’s a prosecutable crime. If it is a flag they own, I really don’t want to amend the Constitution to prosecute someone for foolishly desecrating their own property. We should condemn them and pity them instead."

- General Colin Powell

"You're the emblem of the land I love, the home of the free and the brave."

- George M. Cohan

"Americans revere their flag as a symbol of the Nation. Indeed, it is because of that reverence that the amendment is under consideration. Few countries in the world would think of amending their Constitution for the purpose of protecting such a symbol.... If they are destroying a flag that belongs to someone else, that's a prosecutable crime. If it is a flag they own, I really don't want to amend the Constitution to prosecute someone for foolishly desecrating their own property. We should condemn them and pity them instead."

- General Colin Powell, USA (RET)

"As long as I live, I will never forget that day 21 years ago when I raised my hand and took the oath of citizenship. Do you know how proud I was? I was so proud that I walked around with an American flag around my shoulders all day long."

- Arnold Schwarzenegger

"Our flag is our national ensign, pure and simple, behold it! Listen to it! Every star has a tongue, every stripe is articulate."

- Robert C. Winthrop

"I'm proud of the U.S.A. We've done some amazing things. To wear our flag in the Olympics is an honor."

- Shaun White

"It seems like the less a statesman amounts to, the more he loves the flag."

- Frank McKinney Hubbard ("Kin Hubbard")

"There are many flags in many lands, There are flags of many hue, But there is no flag however grand, Like our own red, white and blue. Say hurrah for our flag, Our country's flag, It's stripes and it's bright stars too. But there is no flag however grand, Like our own red, white and blue."

- Author Unknown

"Hello. Remember me? Some people call me Old Glory, others call me the Star Spangled Banner, but whatever they call me, I am your flag, the flag of the United States of America. Something has been bothering me, so I thought I might talk it over with you — because it is about you and me. I remember some time ago, people would line up on both side of the street to watch the parade, and naturally I was leading every one, proudly waving in the breeze. When your Daddy saw me coming, he immediately removed his hat and placed it against his left shoulder so that his hand was directly over his heart — remember? And you, I remember, were standing there, straight as a soldier. You didn't have a hat, but you were giving the right salute. Remember your little sister? Not to be outdone, she was saluting the same as you with her right hand over her heart — remember? What happened? I'm still the same old flag. Oh, I've added a few more stars since you were a boy, and a lot more blood has been shed since those parades of long ago. But now, somehow I don't feel as proud as I used to feel. When I come down the street, you just stand there with your hands in your pockets. You may give me a small glance, and then you look away. I see children running around you shouting; they don't seem to know who I am. I saw one man take his hat off, then he looked around, and when he didn't see anybody else take off his hat, he quickly put his on again. Is it a sin to be patriotic today? Have you forgotten what I stand for, and where I have been? Anzio, Guadalcanal, Korea and Vietnam! Take a look at the memorial honor rolls, and see the names of those patriotic Americans who gave their lives to keep this republic free. When you salute me, you are actually saluting them! So when you see me, please stand straight and place your hand over your heart, and I'll know that you remembered. I'll salute you by waving back!"

- Author Unknown

"I am not the flag: not at all. I am but its shadow."

- Franklin Knight Lane

"in the flag the Government, the principles, the truths, the history which belongs to the Nation that sets it forth."

- Henry Ward Beecher

"It is the flag just as much of the man who was naturalized yesterday as of the men whose people have been here many generations."

- Henry Cabot Lodge

"The whole inspiration of our life as a nation flows out from the waving folds of this banner."

"There are many flags in many lands, There are flags of many hue, But there is no flag however grand, Like our own red, white and blue. Say hurrah for our flag, Our country’s flag, It’s stripes and it’s bright stars too. But there is no flag however grand, Like our own red, white and blue."