Fresno State will display a historic flag for Independence Day
In honor of Independence Day, Fresno State will display an American Revolution Bicentennial flag at the Save Mart Center.
The flag represents the 200 years, from 1776 to 1976, since the Declaration of Independence was drafted and adopted by the Thirteen Colonies.
The flag has special significance to Fresno as it was gifted to the university by alumnus Dr. Elvin C. Bell and flown in 2016 to mark the 40th anniversary of the United States Bicentennial.
Bell was a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and Army National Guard brigadier general. He also served 16 years in public office with 14 of those years in the Fresno City Council Chambers.
Bell was gifted the flag by his friend, the late Oklahoma Congressman and 1970s speaker of the House of Representatives, Carl Albert.
The flag has flown over the White House, the California Capitol, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia and our own Fresno City Hall.
Jessica Johnson: 559-441-6051, @iamjesslj
This story was originally published July 3, 2017 at 8:11 PM with the headline "Fresno State will display a historic flag for Independence Day."