| For many, the sight of the flag stirs up memories. Some are personal, tied to
experiences in our own lives. Others are collective, shared
memories of key events in our nation's past. Through rituals,
memorials, and celebrations, Americans use the flag to remember,
to honor lost heroes and recall historic moments. |
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 This
flag, the regimental colors of the 84th U.S. Colored Infantry,
carries visible memories. Printed on the stripes are the names
and dates of Union campaigns fought in Texas and Louisiana during
the Civil War. A reminder of the glory of battle, the flag also
reminded the African American soldiers of the 84th what they
were fighting for: the freedom and citizenship that had been
denied to them. |
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The
flags on this child's dress symbolize a connection to a
shared past, to the memories of a family and a nation. In 1876,
the year of the U.S. Centennial, a traveling grain salesman
from Iowa purchased the flag-patterned material for his baby
daughter's dress. The dress was handed down in the family and
donated to the Smithsonian in 1976, in honor of the U.S. Bicentennial. |
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Soon
after the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in 1982,
people began leaving flags and other mementos at "The Wall."
Honoring the patriotism and sacrifice of those who died, the
flags left at the memorial also symbolized a nation still struggling
with painful memories of the Vietnam War. |
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| National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution |
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