Caucus meeting in St. Louis adopts “The American Legion” as the organization’s
official name. The Legion’s draft constitution is approved, and so is its preamble, which begins: “For God and Country, we associate ourselves together. . .” The preamble, with its heartfelt dedication to freedom and democracy, is still recited today at official gatherings of The American Legion.

The U.S. Congress charters The American Legion.

Nov. 10-12, 1919

The American Legion’s Constitution and Preamble are adopted at the convention in
Minneapolis.

Delegates to The American Legion’s first annual convention in Minneapolis vote
361-323 to locate the Legion’s National Headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., rather
than Washington, D.C.

The first “Flag Code” is drafted during a conference called by The American Legion in
Washington, D.C. The code eventually was adopted by Congress in 1942. Today, the Legion is at the forefront of efforts to gain a constitutional amendment to protect the American flag from physical desecration.

Membership in The American Legion increases to more than one million veterans.

The final round of The American Legion’s first annual National High School Oratorical
Contest is held in Norman, Okla. Today, more than 25,000 high school students from around the country compete annually in the contest designed to develop a greater understanding of the U.S. Constitution. Winners are awarded thousands of dollars in college scholarships.

The American Legion’s charter is amended to allow veterans of World War II to join the organization.

The GI Bill is signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt.

Legion membership surpasses three million.

The American Legion votes to contribute funds to the field of mental health with the
provision that the three major mental health organizations then in existence be amalgamated into one. They accepted this provision, and the National Association for Mental Health was born.

The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation is formed. Since that time, the foundation has awarded $4 million to youth-oriented organizations and projects designed to help America’s children.

The American Legion voices great concern over the fate of POWs in Vietnam. Today, the Legion continues to press for a full accounting of POW/MIAs and has formed a
special group from among the nation’s major veterans organizations to take the lead on this issue.

The American Legion presents a $1 million check to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund toward the construction of “The Wall” in Washington, D.C. The Legion, which had solicited donations from its members, eventually became the largest single
contributor to the project.

The American Legion announces its sponsorship of an independent study on the
effects of exposure to Agent Orange on Vietnam veterans. The results of “The
American Legion-Columbia University Study of Vietnam-era Veterans” were presented to Congress in 1989.

The new Department of Veterans Affairs, elevated to cabinet- level status, begins
operations. The American Legion had fought hard for the Veterans Administration to
become a cabinet-level department, arguing that veterans — as an important segment of society — deserved representation in the highest councils of government.

The American Legion files suit against the federal government for failure to conduct a study, mandated by Congress, of the effects of Agent Orange on the health of Vietnam veterans.

Veterans of Lebanon, Grenada and Panama hostilities are approved for membership in the Legion.

Veterans of Desert Shield/Desert Storm are approved for membership in The American Legion. Today, the Legion continues to press for improved educational and medical benefits for Gulf War veterans.

The American Legion announces creation of the Citizens Flag Alliance, a coalition of
organizations and individual citizens, to work for a constitutional amendment to protect the American flag from physical desecration.

The American Legion announces Legion’s acceptance of a scaled-down exhibit “without political commentary” for the Enola Gay, ending the greatest controversy in the Smithsonian Institute’s 149-year history.

SJR 31 passes Senate Judiciary Committee in a 12-6 vote.

Senate rejects SJR 31 by a vote of 63-36, three votes short of required two-thirds;
The American Legion pledges to continue the fight for the amendment.

The American Legion awards a $20,000 post secondary scholarship to each of the 10
inaugural Samsung American Legion high school scholars.

US House passes HJR 54, a flag-protection constitutional amendment, by a vote of
310-114.

National Commander Anthony G. Jordan testifies before members of the US House and US Senate Veterans Affairs Committees. US Rep. Robert Stump (R-AZ) promises
congressional hearings would be held on the GI Bill of Health, TAL’s plan to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system.

Sen. Majority Leader Trent Lott brings SJR 40 to the floor of the U.S. Senate asking
for unanimous consent to proceed to debate and vote. Sens. Robert Kerrey (D-NE) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) objected to consideration of the resolution, citing lack
of time to sufficiently debate the amendment. With that the measure was lost in
the 105th Congress.

Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Max Cleland (D-GA)introduce S.J. Res. 14. The amendment has 54 cosponsors. In all sixty-four Senators have pledged their support of the amendment.

Senate Joint Resolution 14, the Flag Protection Constitutional Amendment, falling
four short of the necessary 67 votes, is lost 63-37 in the United States Senate. Once again a clear, but insufficient, majority supported it. Once again, a small number of US Senators made it clear they place no trust in the American people and have a mere spoken regard for the importance the people
place on the Flag of the United States.

For the remainder of the year, the Citizens Flag Alliance focuses in two broad areas:
recognizing supporters in the 106th Congress and determining the position of every
candidate seeking a seat in the 107th. Three hundred sixty-eight members of Congress (305 Representatives and 63 Senators) receive a formal, personal thank-you and a small memento from the CFA groups in their state. More than 1,000 candidates for federal office are queried on their support for a flag protection amendment. When election returns are finalized, more than 300 Representatives and 60 Senators are seated and on the record as flag amendment supporters.

A press conference is called in Washington, DC, to announce the introduction of the flag protection amendment in both chambers of the 107th Congress. Senators Max Cleland (D-GA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) become the Chief Cosponsors in the US Senate, while Representatives Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) and John Murtha (D-PA) champion the cause in the US House of Representatives. The House resolution, HJR 36, enjoys official co-sponsorship from more than 100 members. In the Senate, SJR 7 counts 40 official cosponsors. Efforts toward a cosponsor drive in both chambers continue.

The American Legion launches national “I Am Not A Number” campaign to identify and document the delays veterans face in obtaining earned medical care benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Delegates at the 87th National Convention unanimously voice their support for the War on Terrorism by passing Resolution 169.