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
Republicans and Democrats will soon gather for their national political conventions in Cleveland, Ohio, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, respectively. There are sure to be plenty of American flags and lots of red-white-and-blue bunting on display. But what about the flags of the municipalities welcoming the delegates? In one case, a city flag actually kindled a romance… continue
We all know that flags fly from flagpoles. But, in the 1920s, flagpoles often came with something else attached: human beings! How the Roaring Twenties’ fad of flagpole sitting began is lost to history, but many men, women and children called attention to themselves by climbing up poles and sitting there. And sometimes standing on… continue
For 240 years, the Fourth of July, which marks the debut of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, has been a special day for American flags. On that date in 1944, as World War II continued to rage, a newspaper printed aboard the USS Essex published an editorial titled “Independence Day 1944.” Read in the… continue
With summer here, many families are hurrying to the beach. To make sure they bring everything they need, they might compose a checklist: swimming suits, picnic items and beach toys. But the most essential item is a list of beach warning flags. Around the world, beaches post flags of different colors to alert swimmers to… continue