Museum Collections
Luce Center
Cotton Flag
Title
Cotton Flag
Object name
Flag
Date
1844
Medium
Cotton
Dimensions
Overall: 30 x 52 3/4 in. ( 76.2 x 134 cm )
Description
White cotton printed flag; gear shaped medallion with an eagle holding a ballot box inscribed, "Twenty-one/Years", arrows, a laurel branch and a U.S. shield in its talons, box surrounded by six draped American flags; incribed above, "Native-American"; medallion surrounded by twenty-six stars; thirteen red and white stripes; inscribed in the center, "NATIVE. AMERICANS/ BEWARE OF/ FOREIGN. INFLUENCE" [n's reversed].
Credit Line
Gift of George Pessinger
Object Number
1868.10
Marks
printed: in canton: "NATIVE AMERICANS/ TWENTY-ONE/ YEARS"
printed: in center: "NATIVE. AMERICANS./ BEWARE OF/ FOREIGN. INFLUENCE"
Gallery Label
This flag was carried in the Native American Procession of 1844. The Native American Democratic Association was formed out of the whig party after the immigrants they had courted turned against the party, particularly Catholics, who they would undermine in the following years. The party eventually developed into the American Republican Party. In 1844, the party nominated candidate James Harper, who won the mayoral election that year.
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.





