Southern Illinois Congressman Mike Bost will introduce a resolution in Congress later this week recognizing the historic, cultural, and political significance of the 13-star "Betsy Ross Flag."
The flag, which according to legend was designed and presented to General George Washington by seamstress and flag maker Betsy Ross, was adopted by the Continental Congress as the nation's first flag in 1777.
The flag became news again after its design on a new line of sneakers from Nike drew criticism after former NFL player and Nike campaign face Colin Kaepernick pushed back on the design as offensive. He said the flag had historical links to the era of slavery in American history and has been since embraced by white supremacists.
Nike's decision to pull the shoe sparked outrage, especially among conservatives.