Automobiles decorated with American flags move through the streets of Wichita, Kansas during a fundraising parade organized by the American Red Cross between 1917 and 1919. Participants carry signs calling for public support as the nation mobilizes during World War I. Parades and public drives like this were held in cities and towns across the country to raise money for medical aid, supplies, and relief efforts supporting American troops overseas.
President Coolidge and Sec. of War Weeks, with High Army and Navy Officials Reviewing the Defense Day Parade
Calvin Coolidge and John W. Weeks sit with senior military leaders on a reviewing stand during the 1924 Defense Day parade. Also present are Grace Coolidge, John J. Pershing, and John L. Hines. Defense Day was organized nationwide after World War I to promote military readiness and national unity, with parades, drills, and public demonstrations held in cities across the United States.
Dedication Ceremony for the District of Columbia War Memorial Showing Military Band on Armistice Day, 1931, Washington, D.C.
Crowds gather at the District of Columbia War Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Armistice Day in 1931 as a military band stands before the newly dedicated monument. The memorial honors residents of the capital who served during World War I. In the years after the war, communities across the United States built memorials to recognize the service of local soldiers and preserve the memory of their role in the conflict.
Soldiers of the 79th New York at Camp
Soldiers of the 79th New York Infantry Regiment gather outside a canvas tent during the American Civil War. The regiment, often known as the “Highlanders,” was organized in New York City and took part in several major campaigns of the Union Army. Images like this offer a look at everyday life in a Union army camp, where soldiers spent long stretches of time resting, organizing supplies, and preparing for the next march or engagement.
Boy Scout Flag Presentation 4/7/[23]
Members of the Boy Scouts of America stand with American flags during a presentation on April 7, 1923, as a crowd gathers outside a government building in Washington, D.C. Uniformed scouts line the steps while officials and spectators watch nearby. The organization, founded in 1910, promoted outdoor skills, leadership, and a strong sense of citizenship among American youth during the early twentieth century.
Our Allies Need Eggs. Your Farm Can Help / Herbert Bayer
A wartime poster by Herbert Bayer called on American farmers to increase egg production to help Allied nations during World War II. Issued through the Rural Electrification Administration of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the message reminded rural communities that farm production played an important role in supporting the war effort.
Oswego, New York. United Nations Heroes Marching in the Flag Day Parade on Bridge Street, Decorated with United Nations Seals
Crowds line Bridge Street in Oswego, New York during a Flag Day parade in June 1943 as marchers carry flags through the downtown streets. Spectators gather along the sidewalks while local groups and servicemen take part in the procession. Parades like this were common across the country during World War II, when communities held patriotic events to honor service members and show support for the war effort at home. Photographed by Marjory Collins.
Camp-Fire Girls Saluting the Flag
Members of the Camp Fire Girls gather outside a schoolhouse to salute the American flag in 1915, part of a youth movement that encouraged civic pride, outdoor skills, and community service. The group, founded in 1910, offered young girls opportunities for leadership and organized activities at a time when similar programs for boys were already gaining popularity.
The Parade at the World's Fair at Tunbridge, Vermont
A parade passes through the fairgrounds during the annual fair in Tunbridge, Vermont in September 1941. Marchers move down the dirt road as spectators line the route and automobiles crowd the nearby fields. Agricultural fairs like the Tunbridge World’s Fair were important gatherings for rural communities, bringing together farm families for exhibitions, entertainment, and local tradition just months before the United States entered World War II.
Window Shoppers Watching Toy Display in Downtown Providence, Rhode Island
Window shoppers pause outside a toy store in downtown Providence, Rhode Island in December 1940, studying a display filled with bicycles, roller skates, dolls, and other Christmas gifts. Large signs advertising bargains hang above the window, a familiar sight in American storefronts of the era. Scenes like this were common in cities across the country, where holiday displays drew families to the sidewalks and offered a glimpse of the season’s most sought-after toys. Photographed by Jack Delano during a period when the nation was emerging from the Great Depression and only a year away from entering the Second World War.
Inauguration of Pres. McKinley
Crowds gathered at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4, 1901, for the inauguration of President William McKinley. A temporary platform trimmed with American flags and patriotic bunting stood outside the Capitol as government officials, military officers, and invited guests assembled for the ceremony. Thousands of spectators filled the grounds to witness the public oath of office, a tradition that had long drawn citizens to the capital.
Charleston, South Carolina. Flag-Raising Ceremony at Fort Sumter. Awaiting the Arrival of Gen. Anderson and Invited Guests to Inaugurate the Ceremony of Raising the Flag
Crowds filled the interior of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor on April 14, 1865, waiting for the flag to be raised again over the fort where the Civil War had begun. A simple platform trimmed with bunting stood at the center, surrounded by soldiers, officials, and civilians who had come to witness the moment. Major General Robert Anderson, who surrendered the post in 1861, returned to lift the same flag that had been lowered at the start of the conflict. Four years of war had passed, and the ceremony served as a public sign that the Union had been restored.
The Crowd Clustered like Bees on the German Guns in the Place de la Concorde, Paris, while Celebrating the Signing of the Armistice with Germany
Crowds packed the Place de la Concorde in Paris as news spread that the Armistice with Germany had been signed, ending the fighting in World War I. Men and boys climbed atop captured German guns, pressing together for a view and lifting an American flag above the celebration. After four years of industrial warfare that drew in nations across the globe, the silence of the guns was met with relief and public jubilation.
Daisies Gathered for Decoration Day, May 30, 1899
On May 30, 1899, a group of students gathered daisies in a classroom decorated with American flags for Decoration Day. The flowers were meant to be placed on the graves of Civil War soldiers, a tradition that had taken root in communities across the country. By the late nineteenth century, schools played a role in marking the holiday, teaching children to remember the Union dead. More than thirty years after the war, its memory was still woven into everyday American life.
President Woodrow Wilson Speaking to a Crowd From the Back of a Train, January, 1916
In January 1916, President Woodrow Wilson spoke from the back of his train during a cross-country tour calling for greater military preparedness. Stops in towns like Waukegan, Illinois, brought large crowds who gathered near the tracks to hear him in person. With war already raging in Europe, Wilson argued that the United States needed to strengthen its defenses, even as many Americans hoped to remain neutral. The whistle-stop tour captures a turning point, as the nation weighed its place in a conflict it would enter the following year.
Flag Flies Over PT Boat
During World War II, sailors trained aboard Navy PT boats at the motor torpedo boat center in Melville, Rhode Island. An American flag flies above the small craft as crew members stay alert on deck, scanning the sky and horizon. PT boats were fast, lightly built vessels used for patrol and surprise attacks in coastal waters after Pearl Harbor. Training focused on speed, coordination, and constant readiness, preparing young crews for long hours and sudden action at sea.
Geraldine Farrar and Secretary McAdoo Selling War Bonds on Flag Draped Platform
Around 1918, opera singer Geraldine Farrar joined Treasury Secretary William G. McAdoo on a platform draped in American flags to help sell war bonds during World War I. A sign announcing that Farrar would sell bonds made clear that her name was part of the draw. The government regularly called on well-known performers to attract crowds and encourage people to invest in the war effort.
Liberty Loan Crowds
In 1917, thousands filled the grounds in Washington, D.C., for a Liberty Loan rally held to raise money for the First World War. From the platform, a federal official—likely Treasury Secretary William G. McAdoo—spoke to the crowd about buying war bonds to support American troops overseas. Large signs tracked loan totals, reminding everyone of the scale of the effort.
Jimmy Carter and Mayor Richard J. Daley Ride in a Torchlight Parade During a Campaign Stop in Chicago, Illinois
On September 9, 1976, Jimmy Carter rode through downtown Chicago in a torchlight parade during a campaign stop, with Mayor Richard J. Daley at his side. Crowds packed the streets, holding signs and banners as the motorcade made its way through the city at night. Carter, then the former governor of Georgia, was pushing hard in major cities as he worked to win the presidency.
ARMY, U.S. Return of Washington, D.C. Soldiers
Soldiers arriving home from World War I lean out of a railcar window, scanning the crowd below. Friends and family wait alongside the train, dressed for the occasion, ready to welcome them back. Across the country, scenes like this unfolded as units returned from Europe after the Armistice. Train stations became gathering points where communities met the men who had served overseas and watched them step back into civilian life.