The American Flag: An Encyclopedia of the Stars and Stripes in U.S. History, Culture, and Law

At a time when the U.S. flag is both a source of both pride and controversy, this volume provides the first encyclopedic A-to-Z treatment of the U.S. flag in American history, culture, and law. This title is a comprehensive resource for understanding all aspects of the American flag and its relationship to the American people. The encyclopedia provides a thorough historical examination of key developments in the flag's design as well as laws and court decisions related to the flag and the First Amendment. In relation to the flag's history, it also discusses evolving public attitudes about its importance as a national symbol. The encyclopedia contains illuminating scholarly essays on presentations of the flag in American politics, the military, and popular culture including art, music, and journalism. Additionally, these essays address important rules of flag etiquette and modern controversies related to them, from flag-burning to refusing to stand during the playing of the U.S. National Anthem.

Table of Contents:
Topical List of Entries Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Timeline Part I: Flag Overview Essays The Creation, Design, and Symbolism of the Stars and Stripes Flag Etiquette The U.S. Flag in America's Historic-House Museums The Confederate Flags The Flag in American Art The Flag in American Music The Flag in American Journalism The Flag in American Politics Part II: A–Z Entries Advertising All-American Flag Act American Flag (Photograph) American Flag Foundation, Inc. American Gothic, Washington, D.C. (Photograph) American Legion American's Creed Balch, George Thacher Bates's Flag March through the Former Confederate States Baxter, Percival P. Beecher, Henry Ward Bellamy, Francis J. Bennington Flag Betsy Ross Flag Birth of Our Nation's Flag Brandywine Flag Bruner, Frank C. Campaign Flags Campbell, Thomas Capitol Flag Program Captain America Centennials, Bicentennials, and Other Commemorations Child, Lydia Maria Christian Flag Citizens Flag Alliance (CFA) Civil Rights Movement Civil War Colors of the Flag Confederate Flags Constellation "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" Cowgill v. California (1970) Cowpens Flag Cult of the Flag Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Davis, Jefferson Decoration Day (Memorial Day) Eagle East India Company Flag Easton Flag Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow (2004) Ellsworth, Elmer E. Evacuation Day Ex Parte Starr (1920) Exclusionary Flags Executive Order No. 1556 of 1912 and Its Successors Federal Flag Protection Acts of 1968 and 1989 Flag Act of 1777 Flag Act of 1794 Flag Act of 1818 Flag Apparel Flag Bearers, Standard-Bearers Flag Code Flag Day Flag Day Monument Flag Desecration Amendment Flag Holidays Flag Houses Flag Manufacturers Association of America Flag on the Floor Art Exhibit Flag Patches Flying the Flag Folding the Flag Forster Flag Fort Niagara Flag Fort Sumter Flag Frank, Robert Freedom to Display the American Flag Act (2005) Fritchie, Barbara "God Bless the U.S.A." Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Great American Flag Guilford Flag Guthrie, William N. Half-Staff Halter v. Nebraska (1907) Hard Hat Riot (1970) Hassam, (Frederick) Childe Heft, Robert G. Hinrichs, Kit Hoar, George F. Hoffman v. United States (1971) Holman, Francis Hopkinson, Francis House of Flags Museum Human Flag Identifying the Age of Flags Immigrants and Flag-Waving Independence Day Ingersoll's Decoration Day Oration Iwo Jima Flag Raising Jehovah's Witnesses Johns, Jasper Keim, Peter Key, Francis Scott Lafayette Gravesite Lambkin, Prince Landscape Lane, Franklin K. Lapel Pins Libby, Frederick Liberty Trees, Liberty Poles, and Liberty Caps License Plates Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln Flag Lodge, Henry Cabot "Long May It (She) Wave" "Man without a Country" Mastai, Boleslaw, and Marie-Louise D'Otrange Mennonites and Amish Mexican-American War Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) National Anthem National Flag Foundation (NFF) Native American Art New York City Firemen Photograph Nicknames for the U.S. Flag Old Glory Flag "Old Ironsides" Olympic Protocol Ostrander, James S. Our Banner in the Sky People's Flag Show Pickersgill, Mary Young Pine Tree Flag Pledge of Allegiance Postage Stamps Postcards Posters in Wartime Preble, George Henry Prisoners of War Proportions of the American Flag Quilts "Ragged Old Flag" Rally 'Round the Flag Effect Rantoul, Robert S. Rattlesnake Flags Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act Revolutionary War Revolutionary War Battle Flags "Rip Van Winkle" Ross, Betsy Ruhstrat v. Illinois (1900) Schuller, Robert H. Schuyler Flag Sedition Act of 1918 See You at the Pole (SYATP) Events Smith, Whitney Smith v. Goguen (1974) Soiling of Old Glory, The (Photograph) Space Program, American Flag and the Spanish-American War Spence v. Washington (1974) Spirit of '76 Sports Stafford Flag Stars, Arrangement of on U.S. Flags Stars and Stripes "Stars and Stripes Forever" "Star-Spangled Banner" (Anthem) Star-Spangled Banner (Flag) Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Street v. New York (1969) Stripes on the Flag Stromberg v. California (1931) Suffragists and the U.S. Flag Taylor v. Mississippi (1943) Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001 Texas v. Johnson (1989) "There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere" Thirteen-Star Flags "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag" Top of the Flagpole Tremain, Russell Twenty-Four-Hour Flag Displays Uncle Sam Under God Union Flag Union Jack United States Flag Association United States v. Eichman (1990) Veterans Day Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Vietnam Memorial Vietnam War War of 1812 Washington Crossing the Delaware Washington Kerchief Flags Washington Monument Flag Display Washington's Coat of Arms Webster, Daniel West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943) Whipple Flag Winthrop, Robert C. World War I World War II Xenophobia, Nativism, and the U.S. Flag "You're a Grand Old Flag" Youth's Companion Zaricor Flag Collection Glossary Bibliography About the Author and Contributors Index

About the Author :
John R. Vile is professor of political science and dean of the University Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University, and author of numerous critically acclaimed works of American history.

Review :
A masterly exploration of the American flag, with a potpourri of fun details for anyone with an interest in U.S. history, patriotic symbols, and vexillology. This volume includes just about everything that anyone would want to know about American flags, and more. . . . . It is inexpensive and it should be in schools and public libraries across the nation. More importantly, American citizens should actually read this volume for a better understanding of the issues and a wider appreciation of how the adoration of the U.S. flag and other flags can be employed for both good and less savory purposes."