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An article entitled “The Striped Flag of the East India Company, and its Connexion [sic] with the American ‘Stars and Stripes’ ”, by Sir Charles Fawcett, was published in the British journal The Mariner’s Mirror in 1937. This article stated that “. . . the assertion that the Grand Union Flag [i.e., the Continental Colors] was copied from the East India Company’s flag has prima facie probability.” However, a careful reading reveals that it does not present any credible evidence of a relationship between the two flags, and, arguably, supports the opposite conclusion. Also, many of its references to the history and historiography of early American flags have become outdated since the article was written. This paper summarizes current scholarship concerning the origins of the Continental Colors, and re-evaluates Fawcett’s evidence and conclusions. Two appendices address issues related to the history and historiography of the Continental Colors.

Over the centuries flags have, and are, being used to show unity. This can take the form of unity between peoples, countries, alliances, and organisations. The purpose of this paper is to give a general review of the design development of these “flags of unity”. From their origins in heraldic royal banners, then national flags, born of unification, and on to flags of alliances, liberation, and more recently international co-operation, flags with unity as their central design theme are as varied as the peoples, countries, and groups they represent.

KwaNdebele was a self-governing Homeland in apartheid South Africa which indicated in 1982 that it would follow some of the Homelands and move towards “full independence”. However, internal strife and unrest within the Homeland delayed the scheduled move towards independence. The wider political developments in South Africa after 1990 and the negotiations which led to the end of apartheid and the adoption of a new Interim Constitution in South Africa halted these developments and KwaNdebele ceased to exist in April 1994. This paper describes and illustrates the flags that were designed for use by the government and officials of the proposed “Republic of KwaNdebele” as it prepared for independence from South Africa in the late 1980s.

In the European context, Sokol Movement events, and in particular Sokol “slets” (simultaneous group exercising accompanied by music), appear as important characteristics of the social life of Slavic people living on the territory of Habsburg Monarchy at the end of the 19th century and in the first decade of the 20th century. The movement promoted ideals of belonging to Slavia, as well as fostering a sense of belonging to particular nationalities (Croatian, Czech, Polish, Slovenian, etc.) that were specifically expressed during “slet” events. The author presents original (Croatian) Sokol Movement flags and documentary photographs and describes the particular atmosphere that reigned during “slets”.

The author is trying to map all major events dealing with the proposed Czechoslovak national flags in America before Czechoslovakia was established 28 October 1918. He analyzes famous war posters showing flags created by Czech artist Vojtěch Preissig, who lived in Boston at that time, and flag designs created by Milan Rastislav Štefánik, a colleague of T. G. Masaryk, the future President of Czechoslovakia, on his voyage from San Francisco to Japan. Finally, he describes the activity of Olga Masarykova, the president’s daughter, who edited a booklet entitled The Czechoslovak Flag, which was printed in Washington in October or November 1918.

The creative process and principles informing the design of some special purpose and other flags lead to conclusions for flag design in general. The dynamics of metaphor and shapeshifting are considered. The scope for greater pageantry and innovation in flag design is explored. Current national flags of complex or awkward design present a challenge. Possible remedies are suggested. To paraphrase a famous utterance, the known delivers the unknown, and as at least one national flag of recent vintage demonstrates, the unknown can lead to an unforeseen, but serendipitous result. Among the many instances of how not to design a flag, how to is more worthwhile. Vexillologists have higher standards.

La bandera cubana tuvo sus orígenes en los Estados Unidos de América. En New York, el venezolano General Narciso López concibió su diseño, que dibujó el escritor cubano Miguel Teurbe Tolón y cosió su prima y esposa, Emilia Teurbe Tolón (llamada la Betsy Ross cubana) a inicios de junio de 1849. Luego otra bandera, cosida por señoritas de New Orleans, fue la primera izada en Cuba, el 19 de mayo de 1850, en la ciudad de Cárdenas. Este ensayo reseña la historia de estas dos primeras banderas durante más de siglo y medio. Hoy, ambas se conservan en La Habana, Cuba, en el Palacio Presidencial (hoy Museo de la Revolución) y en el Capitolio. También incluye otros datos relevantes como los símbolos en esta bandera y los lugares donde fue previa y simultáneamente izada, el 11 de mayo de 1850, en los edificios de sendos periódicos en New York y en New Orléans, anunciando al mundo la lucha por la independencia cubana.

The Cuban flag had its origin in the United States of America. In New York, the Venezuelan general Narciso López conceived its design; it was then drawn by the Cuban writer Miguel Teurbe Tolón and sewn by his cousin and wife, Emilia Teurbe Tolón (“the Cuban Betsy Ross”), in early June of 1849. Later, another flag, sewn by ladies in New Orleans, became the first hoisted in Cuba, on 19 May 1850, in the city of Cárdenas. The paper traces the history of those first two flags through over a century and a half. Today both historic flags are kept in Havana, Cuba, in the Presidential Palace (today the Museum of the Revolution) and in the Capitol. This essay also includes other relevant facts such as the symbols in this flag and the places where the Cuban flag was first hoisted, on 11 May 1850, simultaneously in the buildings of two newspapers in New York and in New Orleans, announcing to the world the struggle for the Cuban independence.

Since the dawn of humanity, humans have oscillated between the preservation of their own individuality and identity and their need to belong to a global community. The ideal of embracing and of researching the unification of its origins haunts their hearts. With this central to its spirit, constructed languages were developed, whether destined for secondary or international use, intended for vast cultural arenas or with strictly a philosophical use in mind.

Depuis toujours, les hommes oscillent entre la préservation de leurs identités particulières et leur besoin d’appartenance à des communautés globales. L’idée d’universel et de recherche de la “fusion des origines” hante leur cœur. Dans cet esprit, des langues construites ont été élaborées. Qu’elles soient à vocation auxiliaire ou internationale, destinées à de vastes aires culturelles ou à but strictement philosophique. Des noms connus comme Volapük, Espéranto, Ido, Bolak, Interlingua, Occidental. Mais aussi Glosa, Kotava, Lingua Franca Nova, Atlango. Ou encore Folskpraat, Slovio, Nordien, Afrihili, Slovianski, Hedšdël. Sans parler du langage philosophique Lojban1 . Le plus intéressant est de constater que toutes ces langues ont des drapeaux qui traduisent les messages et idéaux des groupes en question! La connaissance des drapeaux des langues construites est primordiale pour plusieurs raisons: elle nous permet de comprendre que tous les drapeaux sans exception délivrent des messages d’une part; que l’existence des drapeaux n’est pas forcément liée à l’unique notion de territoire d’autre part. Le drapeau est d’abord et avant tout, à travers son dessin et ses couleurs, un “territoire mental”. Après avoir montré et expliqué ces différents drapeaux2 , nous conclurons avec la présentation du drapeau des Conlang, sorte d’ONU des Langues construites!

Standard narratives of Norwegian flag history usually discuss only two specially marked ensigns: the customs and postal ensigns, both based on the swallow-tailed and tongued state ensign of Norway. These were the two ensigns permitted under the 1898 Flag Act that removed the Swedish-Norwegian union mark from civic and state flags and ensigns of Norway. Yet in the last years of the union between Norway and Sweden several more specially marked ensigns existed. At the Yokohama ICV in 2009 I documented the ensign of the Lighthouse Service. In this paper attention is devoted to four more ensigns: those of the State Port Authority, the Port of Kristiania, the Christiania Harbour Police, and the Fisheries Inspection Service. A secondary written description is available for the two port ensigns, though no legal basis has been found for them. The legal basis is available for the Christiania Harbour Police and the Fisheries Inspection Service ensigns; the latter is also illustrated in international flag books of the late 1800s. All four ensigns would have been made defunct by the 1898 Flag Act, though sources indicate the continued use of the Christiania Harbour Police ensign and photographic evidence shows the Fisheries Inspection Service ensign flying as late as 1936.

As Russia turned its eyes to the West under Peter the Great, foreign influences were felt in many fields, in particular the armed forces. In contrast to naval flags, army flags and particularly infantry flags were changed frequently with each monarch’s reign and showed the influence of both enemies and allies such as Sweden, Saxony, Austria, and—most of all—Prussia. In the reigns of Alexander III and Nicholas II, infantry flags went back to an “old Slavic” religious design. After the Soviet period with its red flags, many military flags have returned to the triumphant forms of the reign of Alexander I but in new colors. This talk is illustrated with many pictures of actual flags in contemporary and modern illustrations from the author’s collection.

Si bien la ciudad de Buenos Aires, capital de la República Argentina, tiene más de 400 años desde su fundación, la bandera oficial que la representa tiene una historia muy reciente de solo 30 años, y apenas 15 años desde su adopción legal. Sin embargo el emblema que aparece al centro de la bandera de la ciudad se puede rastrear hasta la propia fundación de la ciudad por el adelantado Don Juan de Garay en 1580. Fue él quien le dio a la ciudad su primer escudo, el cual fue apenas usado en esta era temprana. Este símbolo que es el que aparece en el centro de esta bandera, sin embargo es hoy en día discutido por sectores que no lo aceptan y le otorgan calificaciones basadas en la política actual. Este trabajo se propone estudiar el origen de este escudo en el contexto de su creación, su significado y su sentido a fines del S. XVI, y su poco uso, para ser reemplazado por otro modelo al poco tiempo. Luego se llegará al re-descubrimiento de este primer escudo a fines del S.XIX, y su empleo en diversos lugares de la ciudad durante los años siguientes, para llegar luego a ser símbolo de la bandera de la ciudad. Se analizará el diseño de la bandera, como también sus problemas vexilográficos. Todos los intentos de modificar esta bandera y cambiarla junto con las explicaciones de sus impulsores, serán relevados también.

Even though the City of Buenos Aires, capital of the Argentine Republic, is more than 400 years old, the flag that represents it has just a 30-year history and was only adopted officially 15 years ago. However, the flag’s central emblem can be traced to the founding of the city in 1580 by the Spanish conqueror Juan de Garay, who gave the city its first coat of arms. But in its early times this emblem was barely used. This symbol at the center of the city’s flag is debated by some people that do not accept it today. They attribute incorrect meanings to it based on contemporary politics. This paper will study the origin of the flag’s coat of arms and its background before and during its creation during late 16th century. Its scarce use in that era and its replacement by a different coat of arms shortly after its creation will be analyzed. Then the paper will describe the rediscovery of this first coat of arms at the end of the 19th century, and its use in several places in the city the following years. After that, the coat of arms became the accepted symbol of the city. The design of the flag will be studied, as well as its vexillographic challenges. All the initiatives to change this flag will be reported alongside the explanations from the people who proposed them.

We can learn a lot about flags from the markings that appear on their headers. Diagrams and tables exist that have been created by the military that help to categorize flags by their sizes. Mare Island Naval Shipyard produced thousands of flags over a period of 150 years. Its World War Two flags include distinctive markings that appear on many of the flags in my collection. I have devised a way to calculate a flag’s RIF (Remnant Indicator Formula) which will be shared during this presentation. Information will also be shared about the two flags raised over Iwo Jima that were both made at Mare Island.

This essay explores the creation and rise in popularity of a British comedy website called Worldface, which parodied the Facebook phenomenon while providing an opportunity to celebrate or castigate national identities and traditions through interactive engagement and the use of flags. Begun in November 2009, the site soon drew fans and users from around the world. Its popularity grew faster than a support system to sustain it, and the quality of the site was also affected by what originator Phil Cooper labeled “idiot” postings. Worldface often provided sophisticated commentary on politics, history, and international relations before it shut down in July 2010, its demise due in part to the rise of an anime subculture. Its creators, Team Fishcake, also did clever satires called “Alternative World Cup” flags, and other Facebook parody websites have appropriated flag use to good effect, often while teaching history or geography.

Presents full text of the papers presented to the 24th International Congress of Vexillology in Washington, DC (2011).

This paper details and documents the issues, efforts and outcomes ensuing from the adoption of Utah House Concurrent Resolution 2 and Utah House Bill 490 and analyzing their effects. In 2011 the 59th General Session of the Utah State Legislature met during a time of budgetary challenges and intense political controversy. Despite dealing with a heavy legislative schedule, the House and Senate considered and passed two measures concerning the Utah State Flag—House Concurrent Resolution 2, which urged that newly manufactured flags accurately reflect the statutory description, and House Bill 490, which provided for the annual commemoration of Utah State Flag Day. The North American Vexillological Association has participated in efforts to redesign the state flags in Utah and Oregon. However, neither attempt resulted in legislative adoption. Nonetheless, the experience gained in Utah does provide valuable insights that could be useful in obtaining adoption of new flag designs. Issues were raised that should be considered in order to make adoption of flag-related legislation possible. Plans, procedures, and strategies were employed that could be useful in other venues. Additionally, there were other benefits gained that support vexillology as a scholarly discipline and raised its exposure.

Published in Chicago in 1861, “Down with the Traitors’ Serpent Flag” is one of thousands of political parlor songs from the American Civil War. Many of these songs are unremarkable musically and were preserved in homes, archives, and museum collections largely for their vibrant illustrations. In my presentation I examine this song’s lithographic cover illustration—a Union soldier grinding a Confederate flag into the dust—within a broader discourse of Civil War flag imagery taken from songs, political cartoons, and cartes-de-visite. Compelling secrets exist within this colorful image that may not first meet the eye; to uncover these meanings along with the ways in which they operated for 19th-century audiences, I address how citizens used flags as material objects and signs in a wider social context. I argue that this defiled flag can be seen as a symbol of nation and state, as a reminder of the female presence in war, and as a surrogate for the wounded or even deceased human body. By utilizing flag culture to interrogate objects in an art historical or visual culture context, this presentation argues that vexillology should be accepted by the larger scholarly community not only as an independent discipline but as a theoretical approach to the allied fields of art history, material culture, and cultural studies.

San Diego County, California is the southwestern-most mainland county in the United States. It is home to one of America’s top ten cities and sun-drenched beaches and is the classic example of what might be called the “California life-style”. The county is also home to more federally recognized tribes than any other in the United States. This paper will present a brief history of the reasons behind the abundance of tribes and will present brief histories of some of those tribes. As symbols of the various tribes, their flags will be shown and their symbolism explained. It will show how the modern tribal emblems were created based upon their distinct and shared histories. While time constricts the number of tribes that can be detailed, flags of other San Diego and Southern California tribes will at least be shown.