What the American flag means to you

A child. A truck. A quilt. A gravestone. These are all answers to the questions posed by the Share Your Story project: “What does the American flag stand for? Is it a sacred symbol? Has it meant something important to you? Does it represent you? Have you ever used the flag to make a statement?” Lots of things to think about. Many places your mind could go.

The product of the Star-Spangled Banner “Share Your Story” project is a mosaic of the American flag made up of stories and photos from people like you. Perusing the images and the words that have been submitted, I’m struck by how the flag is used to express different ideas about what it means to be American. It is a sign of freedom. A reference to the federal government. The emblem of a superpower. An icon of loyalty. A symbol of pride as well as a symbol of protest.

Flickr photo of Don Faulkner by engeldreim.

One of my favorite submissions is a photo of Don Faulkner, a Navy man who wrote an essay in the eighth grade about what the colors of the flag brought to mind for him. Blue stands for “the waters around the United States that hold it together like a vice holds two pieces of wood together”; white, “the clouds that fly over the United States, so easily without a bump or rough place like the peace of peace time”; and red, “the fire that consumes intruders that try to turn the handle that holds the United States together.”

Another veteran, mercenary2372 is pictured during a 15 month tour in Iraq:”I am holding a flag my dad sent me in the mail. The American Flag stands for freedom and is the symbol of our country that I salute in the morning for reveille and in the evening for taps.” Alongside his photo of flag flying outside the Department of Justice headquarters M.V. Jantzen writes: “I don’t feel the American flag is a sacred symbol, but it does feel like home.” JeanieBeach thinks her photo of a truck stop illustrates how “the American flag captures the rugged determination of Americans to create sanctuary anywhere they find themselves.” And Gelane explains that the young boy pictured in her photo was “born on the army’s birthday, Flag Day!”

With 15 rows of 24 image tiles, we need more than 360 photographs to complete the American flag mosaic. This is your chance to contribute your point of view. In commemoration of Flag Day this year, I hope you’ll share your thoughts and images of what the flag means to you. Spread the word and help us fill up the mosaic!

Dana Allen-Greil is the new media project manager at the National Museum of American History. She likes to think of the flag as a connector. 

Comments

[Singing]

Please people, let us not take our freedoms and heritage for granted. Long live the veterans who faught for the land and God bless all the soldiers that ever volunteered to fight to protect the borders on all our behalf.

[Josh Sauberman]

Every two years when the Olympics come on there only one thing everybody in this country are really looking for: The stars and stripes and the athlete representing us.

I remember as a kid looking at our flag on those big posters with tons of other countries flags on them as well, and I would always marvel at how amazing it is that of so many flags I was lucky enough to live in the country with the most beautiful one.

[Eddie]

I’m struck by how the flag is used to express different ideas about what it means to be American. It's important to understand the American Flag Etiquette. http://www.uncleflag.com/American-Flag-Etiquette-s/500.htm

[rodney cox]

First idea which have raised in my mind is freedom. But as Viktor Frankl said : other side of freedom is responsibility. So on the west coast should stand statue of responsibility.

[Charles (Chuck) Theiring]

The Flag of the United States of America stands for so much in my minds eye. Stregth, compassion, sacrafice, home. I always well up at the singing of the National Anthem, as the thoughts of what so many before have done to ensure the continued existants of this great country. I also well up when I see people disrespect our National symbol, to me it is as if these people are steping on the very graves of thoes who have laid down their lives to give us the freedom to do that very act. Mom and apple pie come to mind, the Grand Canyon, from sea to shining sea. To me The American flag is more than just a piece of cloth, it is part of every true Americans Soul. It is something I have and will defend till the day I take my last breath. The American flag is more than just a Symbol, it is a way of life.

[Sandra]

Some people see the American flag as patriotism. These people are the ones who have their flags out all year around. The ones who always have them flying high. Some of these people even have American flags hanging off their cars. To some people the American flag is their son or daughter who they have lost either in the line of duty in the military, on the police force, or even the fire department. Although its sad but true some Americans have no patriotism and could care less what happens around them. These people will only care if it affects them in a harmful way. Lastly, the Americans with no type of patriotism will be the first to complain or say the government has done something wrong.

[Daniel]

Along with the national anthem, the national flag is supremely and specially iconic of the nation-state. It is understood that the honor and integrity of the nation are captured by the flag, and as the history of every country shows, the national flag is uniquely capable of enlisting the aid of citizens, giving rise to sentiments of nationalism, and evoking the supreme sacrifice of death: in every respect, the national flag commands, not merely our respect, but our allegiance.

[Wayne A]

The flag represents freedom and it is hard to believe that some people take that for granted.

[Elizabeth Edmonson]

In looking back over photos of our only granddaughter, Jill, I came across this precious one of her taken the 4th of July, 2002. Wrapped in a flag towel, she seemed lost in thought (or fascinated with her toes). But the flag has grown to mean as much to Jill as it does to our family which has sent two great men off to war...her Great-Grandfather, Ernest William McDaris, to World War I, and her Great-Grandfather, James William Dooley, to World War II. We count ourselves among the lucky to have had both of them return safely. It was for the great American Flag that both men fought valiantly. Master Sgt. Dooley, my father, was awarded not only the Bronze Star but also the Silver Star, and yet he never boasted of those medals. It was his bravery under fire that saved many men's lives with him that day. And now, two generations removed from these two, one of the traits I admire most in Jill is her patriotism. She, too, is proud of the American Flag and knows just how lucky she is to be living in the United States of America.