Good Question: Why Is The Flag Red, White & Blue?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- This Memorial Day tens of thousands of American flags were planted at graves, like those at Fort Snelling, to honor the nation's fallen soldiers. But why is the flag red, white and blue? Good Question.

The United States flag is a source of pride. It has evolved to become the current flag, with horizontal, alternating red and white stripes and a blue rectangle bearing 50 white, five-pointed stars.

"Why is our flag red, white and blue? That's a great question. We don't really know that either. We know that there are some early flags, particularly from the Revolutionary War period, that used red, white and blue," Adam Scher, senior curator with the Minnesota History Center, explained.

While it's not exactly known why or how the colors were selected, what the red, white and blue signify is part of our nation's history from the 19th century.

"It's widely believed that the red represents valor or sacrifice, that white represents innocence or purity and the blue represents perseverance or vigilance," Scher said.

It's the red that makes Old Glory so symbolic.

"That's probably the most important color in our flag. And that's really what Memorial Day is all about, is when we remember the sacrifices of those who've given the ultimate sacrifice for our country," Scher said.