1920s

Sept. 27, 1920
The poppy is named the official flower of The American Legion during the organization’s second national convention in Cleveland.

Dec. 16, 1920
With more than 5,500 war veterans hospitalized nationwide with neuropsychiatric conditions, The American Legion raises awareness of the condition later to be defined as post-traumatic stress disorder.

July 7, 1921
The American Legion and the National Education Association enter into a formal relationship that calls for more stringent qualifications for teachers and curriculum in civics education.

Aug. 9, 1921
The Legion’s efforts result in the creation of the U.S. Veterans Bureau, forerunner of the Veterans Administration.

Nov. 11, 1921
American Legion leaders join Allied generals and President Warren G. Harding in ceremonies to dedicate the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. The tomb was the culmination of Legion-supported legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Hamilton Fish, Jr., a founder of the organization.

June 15, 1923
The first Flag Code is drafted during a Legion-organized conference in Washington, with 68 organizations participating. The code is adopted a year later and in the decades ahead is applied throughout the states and schools until Congress adopts it as U.S. Flag Code in 1942. 

Oct. 17, 1923
The American Legion National Convention in San Francisco passes a resolution (still in effect) that expresses its firm support of equal rights and opportunities “without distinction as to race, color, creed or class.” The resolution condemns any individual, group or organization that “creates or fosters racial, religious or class strife among our people, or which takes into their own hands the enforcement of law, determination of guilt, or infliction of punishment, to be un-American, a menace to our liberties and destructive to our fundamental law.”

Oct. 18, 1923
The American Legion National Convention passes a resolution calling for “Congress to immediately enact a law providing for the erection of a suitable Archives Building” to house documents, artifacts and, emphatically, world war military records. This becomes the National Archives in 1934.

March 21, 1924
American Legion uniform caps are introduced.

Sept. 19, 1924
The American Legion launches a successful campaign to raise $5 million – more than $83 million in today’s dollars – to support disabled veterans and war orphans. This becomes the American Legion Endowment Fund, now doing business as the American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation.

June 17, 1925
The American Legion formally accepts its first permanent national headquarters home in Indianapolis.

June 17, 1925
First proposed in Milbank, S.D., American Legion Baseball is born, adopted as an official national program in October that year.

Oct. 15, 1926
Yonkers, N.Y., Post 321 defeats Pocatello, Idaho, 23-6 in the first American Legion Baseball World Series.

Nov. 9. 1926
The American Legion School Award Program, first established in Pennsylvania, becomes national and continues to operate today.

April 1 – May 30, 1927
American Legion posts along the Mississippi River provide assistance, relief, housing and food for some 400,000 residents left homeless by historic flooding.