In October 1781, as the American Revolution neared its conclusion in Yorktown, Virginia, an observer noticed the role flags played on both the American and British sides. That observer, 235 years ago, was St. George Tucker, a noted lawyer who was a lieutenant general on General George Washington’s staff. He kept a journal of events… continue
When members of the Democratic Party gather in the City of Brotherly Love for their quadrennial convention to nominate a presidential candidate, they will see American flags all around the venue. Those with sharp eyes might also spot Philadelphia’s city flag. The banner was conceived in 1894 by a learned expert with eclectic interests that… continue
The United States flag has changed 63 times over the past 235 years. As the original thirteen colonies established their presence in America, they started to develop new designs that would represent their loyalty and unity. The modern American flag has evolved to symbolize freedom, justice, and prosperity. Most modern Americans would not recognize some of the… continue
Wilbur Wright, the 20th-century co-inventor of the airplane, and James McNeill Whistler, the 19th-century painter, seem unlikely candidates to have a connection to flags. But, if you have sharp vision, you can see that they do. WRIGHT’S DARING FLIGHT On October 4, 1909, Wright took off from Governor’s Island in the Hudson River near Manhattan…. continue
On September 9, 1850 – 165 years ago – California entered the Union after being a republic, not a territory of the United States. It was as if a foreign nation had decided to join the U.S. – and it brought its own state flag along. “On June 14, 1846, a small band of settlers… continue