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Cotton Flag

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.
Creative: Tronvig Group