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In the United States, Independence Day is observed on the Fourth of July. Independence Day has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the celebrations date back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. So why exactly do we observe the Fourth of July? And what should we do to celebrate it?

Throughout history, several nations have woven design elements of the American flag into their own national flag designs. Playwright Oscar Wilde once said that "imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery.” The red, white and blue colors, the horizontal stripes, and the white stars on a blue field are design elements of our American flag - first adopted by our Continental Congress - that show up or influence official flags in countries around the world. As you review the following national flag designs, see if you agree that some of these international flags share attributes with the stars and stripes of "Old Glory," our revered U.S. flag.

The state of Mississippi voted in “The New Magnolia” flag design on November 3, 2020, and the new Mississippi flag is available to pre-order today. The new flag will replace the old flag design which was in use for 126 years and had the Confederate battle emblem on it. The new Mississippi flag was designed by Rocky Vaughan, with design support provided by Sue Anna Joe, Kara Giles and Dominique Pugh. "The New Magnolia" flag is anchored in the center field by a clean and modern magnolia blossom, a symbol long-used to represent Mississippi and the hospitality of its citizens. The magnolia represents Mississippi’s sense of hope and rebirth, as it often blooms more than once and has a long blooming season. The new design is sleek and updated to represent the forward progression of Mississippi.

1980. Mount St. Helen erupted, CNN broadcast for the first time, the Rubik’s Cube was introduced and the U.S. defeated the Soviet Union in ice hockey, better known as the“Miracle on Ice.” While these 1980 memorable events took place, our founder Dwight Morris had other plans as he began making his biggest dream a reality. He created Carrot-Top Industries out of his Illinois home. Dwight stepped confidently into the flag industry with a passion to build a company dedicated to providing customers with expert customer service and high-quality patriotic and custom products. 40 years later and Carrot-Top Industries is still growing and thriving with the leadership of Liz Morris, Dwight's daughter.

The Fall 2020 Beacon® Scholarship for Rural America had the largest number of scholarship applicants since Carrot-Top Industries introduced the scholarship in 2018. We received applications from 25 out of the 50 U.S. states including first-time states such as: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Mississippi, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia.

Article updated July 13, 2020

If a street banner is designed effectively, it can brighten up any downtown area, school campus, parking lot, or street, and more importantly, strengthen the sense of community pride. A street banner can revitalize your streets and buildings while welcoming visitors and even provide directions, celebrate holidays, and promote special events.

As July 4th approaches, you may realize you need to replace your worn and weathered flags and flagpoles. Everyone wants to make a great impression with their patriotic display for Independence Day. For many, it is important to buy their American flags, flagpoles and patriotic decorations from a company that is knowledgeable about the flag industry and provides unsurpassed quality products. Here are 5 reasons Carrot-Top Industries is the expert flag company for you:

Carrot-Top Founder, Dwight Morris stepped into the flag industry in 1980 with a passion to build a company dedicated to serving its customers’ needs while providing the highest quality products. He established Carrot-Top as a mail-order company based out of his family’s home in Oak Park, Illinois. For the first seven years, Dwight grew the company’s reputation and filled every position needed to see it flourish.

Anthony Martino, from Penrose, N.C., is the recipient of the Spring 2020 Beacon® Scholarship for Rural America, a scholarship which was introduced by Carrot-Top Industries in 2018. We received applications from states across the country including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Martino is a shining example of community patriotism that continues to thrive in rural towns today.

The Fall 2019 Beacon® Scholarship for Rural America had the largest number of scholarship applicants since Carrot-Top Industries introduced the scholarship in 2018. We also received applications from a wider variety of states this time around including Alabama, California, Florida, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Carrot-Top Industries, Inc., a family-owned B2B direct marketer of patriotic, special event and custom-made products, announced Liz Morris will be appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President on August 1, 2019. Dwight Morris, Liz’s father and Founder of the company, will continue working at the company as an Advisor to the CEO. Moving forward, Dwight’s primary goal is to help ensure a seamless transition in leadership as Carrot-Top’s 32 employees provide high-quality products and service to commercial businesses and institutions as one of the largest independent flag dealers in America.

Flag Day is June 14. To celebrate the American flag’s birthday (242 years old!), we wanted to share a checklist on how to ensure your U.S. flag is American made. In recent months, the Flag Manufacturers Association of America (FMAA) discovered several companies were selling American flags they falsely claimed were “Made in the U.S.A.” This is concerning to the FMAA since its members are “dedicated to educating the public on the quality of flags manufactured in the United States and raising awareness of the importance of American flags “Made in the U.S.A.”, as well as the proper use of our nation’s greatest symbol.”

2018 was the inaugural year of Carrot-Top’s Beacon® Scholarship for Rural America. Our leadership team launched the Beacon® Scholarship this year as a way to recognize and support hard-working rural students across America. This fall, we announced the first two winners of the scholarship, and now we are delighted to announce the winner of our spring 2019 award.

Each year, Veterans Day occurs on the anniversary of the end of World War I. Nearing its 100-year anniversary, this day is set aside each year to remember and appreciate all the women and men who serve in our country’s armed forces. A veteran is any person who has served full-time in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard. Reserve and National Guard members who have been called to active duty are also considered Veterans. Check out the infographic below for a few unique facts about the veteran population from different states across the nation. Scroll further for a full list of veterans facts for all fifty states and the District of Columbia. Data cited in the infographic and table below were taken from the following sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census American FactFinder, US VeteransAdministration .

High above Sheboygan, WI is the tallest flagpole in the United States. The flagpole was erected in 2014 by Acuity Insurance, after their old flagpole toppled over as a result of years of stress and high winds. Acuity’s flagpole is 400 feet tall; not surprisingly, building such a huge flagpole is a major engineering challenge. Structural stability and maintainability have to be calculated carefully before the project even begins.

Frequent inspection and proper care of your flag and flag pole parts can make a huge difference in the life of your display. It is important to check your flag, flagpole, and its components year-round—especially as the seasons change. Be sure to examine your flagpole’s halyard rope for wear each time the flag is raised or lowered. If the flag isn’t lowered daily, check the halyard at each season change. If the weather is turning inclement, such as high winds, sleet or ice accumulation, be sure to lower your flag to protect it from extreme elements. Use the following tips to help you winterize and prolong the life of your flag and flagpole.