In order to discuss the complexities and discourse surrounding the American flag in society, we must think back to a seemingly simpler time. As a child in school in the US, you had a flag in your classroom to which you recited The Pledge of Allegiance every morning without question. Sure, you probably didn’t understand why, but nevertheless the action was fulfilled as rhythmically as any other school routine. Whenever its history inevitably came up, the flag simply represented the 50 states in the white stars and the original 13 colonies in the red and white stripes. Naturally, the sentiment of “Freedom for All” and the “American Dream” that always seemed to be a part of this genericized discussion lingered nearby. While this elementary school description was never incorrect, it lacked the finesse a discussion surrounding this iconic element of American that it deserves.
In today’s politically focused media lens, the conversation surrounding the American flag has turned into a dichotomy that rivals that of our major political parties. The division has pushed to the forefront of our national dialogue, as if the binary exists only between flag-loving Trumper nationalists or anti-American social justice warriors. Coincidentally throughout our history, art relating to the American flag has mimicked this divided contention. There’s no doubt that propaganda and truth exist across the political spectrum, but before we delve into the works of Jasper Johns, Faith Ringgold, and others, there must be a base review into history of the American Flag.
Despite Betsy Ross being widely credited with the creation of the first American flag design, there is circumstantial evidence that Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was the actual visionary behind the flag; and Ross, an upholsterer for the Philadelphia Navy, was only commissioned to physically stitch the design together.
The first federal law denoting an official design was the Flag Act of 1777, 11 months after the first continental congress. It denotes the 13 stars, 13 stripes, red, white, and blue layout referred to as the “Betsy Ross design.” Despite Betsy Ross being widely credited with the creation of the first American flag design, there is circumstantial evidence that Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was the actual visionary behind the flag; and Ross, an upholsterer for the Philadelphia Navy, was only commissioned to physically stitch the design together. Now some may say I’m a cynic, but would you rather the story of our flag’s creator be that of a congressman from New Jersey who demanded “two casks of ale” for the design or that of a widowed American Revolution soldier’s wife who spent her time crafting flag designs for the Union’s independence. Even the inception of this powerful icon is cloaked in intrigue and myth; Betsy Ross will forever be enshrined in the sentimentality educated along side it.
Two more flag acts followed in 1794 and 1818, which added two new stars and stripes for the addition of Kentucky and Vermont to the Union, and the latter establishing a more modern flag for the then twenty states. It’s also responsible for creating a standard for adding additional states as stars, while keeping the 13 original stripes.ater in 1942, Franklin D Roosevelt signed the Flag Code into public law. The code designated proper display, care, and some desecration standards on a federal level. While technically being law, most of the language of the code is written as instructional guidelines in more of an advisory manner.
The first Flag Protection Act became national law in 1968 explicitly criminalizing any mutilation (burning) of the flag before being struck down by the Supreme Court in 1990. Then in 2005 Congress attempted to pass a similar law this time with additional fines and imprisonment for terrorist ties.
The first Flag Protection Act became national law in 1968 explicitly criminalizing any mutilation (burning) of the flag before being struck down by the Supreme Court in 1990. Then in 2005 Congress attempted to pass a similar law this time with additional fines and imprisonment for terrorist ties.
If you’ve been keeping track, legislation surrounding the flag often occurs during times of war; under Washington (American Revolution, Indian Wars), Monroe (Indian Wars), FDR (World War 2), Lyndon B Johnson (Vietnam), and George W Bush (Iraq and Afghanistan). Given what we know of how history turned out so far, it’s not much of a stretch to claim that the timing of the federal reliance on national flag legislation isn’t a coincidence. The military and the moralistic use of flags have been closely tied together through all of contemporary warfare. There are certainly tactical applications, and flags play an important role in maritime activities peaceful or otherwise. They can also be used as propaganda, a rallying cry to those looking for a visual representation of what’s being fought for literally and symbolically. This is the aspect that I find most compelling.
When we take a deeper dive, there are also several psychological components. Evolution biologists note the importance of general consensus, and in extreme cases groupthink, which is believed to be a primary component of why hominids stayed safe though history. From the shrewdness of apes to hunter-gatherers, to modern cities and countries, not only is there safety in numbers, but similar ideology or at least acceptance of a general thought within a group (even when irrational) reduces immediate stress by creating a feeling of comradery and well-being. It can also result in unbridgeable divide and forced confrontation.
Purpose and belonging are innate driving forces for modern bipeds. Extrapolate to relative recency and we see this principle in effect daily on scales large and small. The stars and stripes is an embodiment for this standard. The best way to control the mindset of individuals is to get them to hold a general consensus, where contrarian conceptions are shunned. The history of flags as a representation of groups makes it a perfect vessel for propaganda within the groupthink model. During a time of war, enact a law that establishes and re-establishes a standard ‘rightness’ that’s directly tied to the symbol of the nation and its military. Make it so convoluted and meshed that any group or person who dare speak out though use of the flag is casted as ‘wrong’ or anti-country.
At this point it would be simple to assume that this is a hit piece on America, the military, and the flag, but don’t get me wrong. This has nothing to do with individual troops risking their lives at home and overseas. Appreciation and open critique is vital to growth. There’s nothing wrong with being patriotic. Hell, no one loves slugging down a few PBRs, leading a “U-S-A” chant on a July night more than myself.’m just establishing that America’s most potent icon is beheld both positively and negatively for valid reasons worldwide. It’s propagandized by all sides, domestic and foreign and can be quite the effective tool for particular messaging, especially when using it for artistic expression. It’s within that freedom of expression that I believe encapsulates what the American flag represents as an icon.
Flag 1954, by Jasper Johns is probably the most famous piece utilizing the stars and stripes as a focal point. Johns was age 24, two years post-discharge from the US Army when he created this piece.
Flag 1954, by Jasper Johns is probably the most famous piece utilizing the stars and stripes as a focal point. Johns was age 24, two years post-discharge from the US Army when he created this piece. The Cold War was in full swing, and this encaustic oil painting became a huge success, leading to the entire Flag series Johns would go on to create. Johns was a notoriously private person, in interviews simply stating that it ‘came to him in a dream.’ It was a simple 48 star American flag with a newsprint collage on canvas, leaving some of the selected papers’ print to be seen through the painted flag. Most of the print showing through appeared to be inconsequential, and possibly deliberately non-political.
Apart from the collage canvas, the Neo-Dadaist style is rather simple. People were drawn to what Flag represented to them. It’s easy to have attraction towards a known commodity used to represent strength, freedom, and democracy. Some believe that Johns had a more profound meaning behind this piece as an openly gay veteran, but public opinion didn’t seem to question the works upfront motif. The popularity for the iconic image and artist still exists today with a similar production painted in 1958 selling for $110,000,000 in 2010 which was the most expensive painting with a living artist sold at the time. Johns also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama in 2011 for his contribution in art.
On the other end of the American flag art mainstream spectrum is Faith Ringgold’s Flag For the Moon: Die Nigger 1969. Like Johns’ Flag, the design is an American flag but upon closer inspection, the eponymous title is written amongst the stars and stripes. In the midst of the struggle for civil rights, the US government was spending billions to beat Russia to the moon. Ringgold saw inequity and pain in her community and used her freedom to express her distress at what she saw as misappropriated funds. While explaining her decisions at her exhibit, Ringgold proclaimed, “It would be impossible for me to picture the American flag just as a flag, as if that is the whole story. I need to communicate my relationship with this flag based on my experience as a black woman in America.” While being honest and provocative, predictively the piece was deemed taboo.
While explaining her decisions at her exhibit, Ringgold proclaimed, “It would be impossible for me to picture the American flag just as a flag, as if that is the whole story. I need to communicate my relationship with this flag based on my experience as a black woman in America.”
It’s not difficult to understand why only one of the two examples achieved mainstream recognition. The use of iconography in encouraging positive reflections will certainly create popular sentiment. Ironically, it is believed that an original suitor for Flag, backed out of the purchase believing that the piece would be deemed unpatriotic (FDR’s Flag Code). 67 years later, you would be hard pressed to find someone that believes that. You certainly could however, find someone who is insulted by Ringgold’s work. While Ringgold’s opted for a more blatant message that some disagree with, the fact is that the independence to create these pieces is what should matter, a freedom enshrined in the idea of the flag itself.
A more divisive piece that caused controversy around artistic liberties taken regarding the American Flag was Dred Scott’s installation What Is the Proper Way to Display U.S. Flag 1989 displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago. Featuring a collage of photos of flags being burned and flag covered coffins hanging above a shelf with an open ledger for viewers to answer the title, the most controversial portion of the installment was a US flag left spread on the floor below the ledger. The layout offered visitors the opportunity to stand on the flag while viewing the collage and respond to the question “What Is the Proper Way to Display the US Flag?”
Featuring a collage of photos of flags being burned and flag covered coffins hanging above a shelf with an open ledger for viewers to answer the title, the most controversial portion of the installment was a US flag left spread on the floor below the ledger. The layout offered visitors the opportunity to stand on the flag while viewing the collage and respond to the question “What Is the Proper Way to Display the US Flag?”
Local politicians as well as then President, George H. Bush, took issue with the exhibit and sought to strengthen the Flag Protection Act for federal prosecution. Bush and Congress had vast public support for this federally sanctioned censorship, as the narrative was simplified to patriotism vs un-American flag desecration. At first there was no discourse about the 1st Amendment or a deeper meaning behind the work that everyone should hold true. In protest to the law, Scott and a few other artists were arrested for lighting flags on fire in front of The Capitol. Eventually the case was brought to the Supreme Court in 1990 which eventually found flag ‘desecration,’ including burning, protected speech. While the protection of free speech is always the right outcome, it speaks volumes about the value people hold the imagery of the American Flag, and its potent ability to strike a chord, in supporters and detractors.
And yet, it speaks to the hypocrisy that exists when we interact with the flag in our culture. We like to view the flag in absolutes, relative to our own narrative. There’s a mandate to honor and respect while at the same time it’s commercially disposable at Walmart as a dress, tank, board shorts, and bikini. Often these representations portray their own crass interpretation on the flag, although I’d be willing to bet many who wear the flag would deem themselves ‘patriotic.’
Holistic and relative viewpoints are vital when deliberating such motifs. We should hold an appreciation for the right to express yourself whether it is in art, on a podium, or in conversation. Fly that flag proud, burn it if you must, wear it as clothing, or as a sticker on your car if you see fit, but appreciate that regardless of your free choice, there is no better meta-representation for any sentiments on the matter. If the American flag is to remain iconic, there cannot be public contingencies on free speech.
Be a patriot, be a dissident, be yourself.
We must recognize the need for discussion and conversation, instead of our current system of hyper-partisan echo-chambers, that has people rooting for a team without recognition of bias. A symbol of the greatest democratic and free nation on earth? A gesture of injustice, racism, and sexism? Regardless of your particular schema associated with Old Glory, iconic would be an understatement. The ability to have and share thoughts surrounding such symbolism is the common thread that needs to be pulled. There needs to be less individual emotional association that’s been indoctrinated from an early age, and more appreciation for the individual and their rights as a fellow person. Be a patriot, be a dissident, be yourself.
