American Peace Symbol Flag

American style Peace Flag from San Francisco - 1960s.
This U.S. style flag replaces the white stars in the blue canton with a large peace symbol. This forked symbol was designed for the Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear War (DAC) and was adopted as its badge by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in Britain, and originally was used by the British nuclear disarmament movement.

This symbol was later generalized to become an international icon for the 1960s anti-war movement, and was also adopted by the counterculture of the time. It was designed and completed in Britain, February 21, 1958 by Gerald Holtom, who was a professional designer and artist for the Easter march planned by DAC from Trafalgar Square, London, to the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston in England. He designed the logo of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), more commonly known as the peace symbol.



Semaphore letters N(uclear) and D(isarmament)

The symbol itself is a combination of the semaphoric signals for the letters "N" and "D," standing for Nuclear Disarmament. In semaphore the letter "N" is formed by a person holding two flags in an upside-down "V," and the letter "D" is formed by holding one flag pointed straight up and the other pointed straight down. These two signals imposed over each other form the shape of the peace symbol. In the original design the lines widened at the edge of the circle.

The symbol is often erroneously credited to Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, (18 May 1872 2 February 1970), who was a British philosopher, historian, logician, mathematician, advocate for social reform, pacifist, and prominent rationalist. Russell served as the President of the CND during this time.

This flag was made by the Paramount Flag Co., San Francisco, CA, in the late 1960's. Flags like this were a popular counter-cultural response to the unpopular War in Vietnam. This is a very early Peace Flag, and can be dated by the 3' x 5' size marking on the lower reverse of the hoist. Paramount moved these markings to the obverse in the 1970's. The markings on the hoist include text ink-stamped on hoist: FEEDY and 'makers size 3X5ft. blue heat transfer' in the lower reverse hoist.

The ink stamped FEEDY is a post wholesale marking done by the business that acquired the flag from Paramount Flag. Paramount Flag did not sell to the general public, and only sold flags to dealers, who in turn resold them to other retailers or the general public.

Exhibition History:
First Presidio Exhibit
(ZFC1524)
United States Peace Flag

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery VI
(ZFC1524)
United States Peace Flag

Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 137.

Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1979 from J&S Surplus & Outdoor Store, Hwy. 1 & N. Struve Road. Moss Landing, CA. 95039

ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed

Souces:

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Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Wikipedia, 8 November 2011, form: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_for_Nuclear_Disarmament

Direct Action Committee, Wikipedia, 8 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_Action_Committee

Gerald Herbert Holtom, Wikipedia, 8 November, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Holtom

Peace flag, Wikipedia, 8 November, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_flag

Peace symbols, Wikipedia, 8 November, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_symbols

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	58.5
Length of Fly	33

Union/Canton
Width of Union/Canton	24
Length of Union/Canton	19.5

Stripes
Width of 1st Stripe	3
Width of 3rd Stripe	3
Width of 8th Stripe	2.25
Width of Last Stripe	2.25
Size of Hoist	1

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	40
Frame Length	66

Stars
Are there stars on obverse?	no
Are there stars on reverse?	no

Stripes
Number of Stripes	13
Color of Top Stripe	Red
Color of Bottom Stripe	Red
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Crest/Emblem
Description of Crest/Emblem	Peace symbol

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Cotton

Stitching
Stitching	Machine

Attachment
Comments on Method of Attachmen	2
Method of Attachment	Grommets

Documentation
Public Copy & Signs
Press	Whose flag is it, anyway?

Condition
Condition	Excellent
Displayable	yes

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC1524) United States Peace Flag Date: About 1965-1975 Media: Printed ND device on cotton; machine stitched Comment: During the 1950s people opposed to nuclear proliferation and nuclear war began wearing a badge that integrated the Navy semaphore code letters N and D (for Nuclear Disarmament within a circle). These letters by extension were garnered by the Peace Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The ND symbol was also found its way into the United States flag, as a substitute for the stars. It remains one of the more dramatic (and controversial) symbols applied to the United States flag. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1524) in 1979 from Moss Landing, CA. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery VI (ZFC1524) United States Peace Flag Date: About 1968-1971 Media: Cotton with printed peace symbol; machine-stitched Comment: During the 1950s those in Britain opposed to nuclear weapons proliferation and nuclear war began wearing a badge that integrated the international semaphore code letters N and D (for Nuclear Disarmament) within a circle. That symbol came by extension to be adopted worldwide by the Peace Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, for use especially but not exclusively in opposition to the Vietnam War. The Peace Symbol was also incorporated in different ways into the United States flag, such as this popular version where it replaces the stars. Still in use today, the Peace Flag remains one of the more dramatic (and controversial) of the many variants developed over the years of the United States flag. The 3 X 5 stamp on the reverse heading of this flag indicates that it is an early peace flag, circa 1968-1971. This according to James J. Ferrigan III, who saw the flag on display at the Officers Club, San Francisco Presidio on Flag Day, June 14, 2003. Mr. Ferrigan worked for many years for the manufacturer of these flags.