On April 4, 1917, the committee’s recommendation of Rice’s flag won city council approval. “It differs from all other stars in use in European heraldry and in State and National flags and coats-of-arms,” Rice continued, “and is specifically for and of Chicago and nowhere else on earth.” The key difference in the design of the stars was their straight points at a 30 degree angle, rather than the customary 60 degree angle achieved by superimposing two triangles. Rice revealed the enduring appeal behind his design: “After more than four hundred designs had been made by me, I finally struck upon such a six-pointed star as had never appeared in any flag before, peculiarly and singularly a Chicago star, made by a Chicagoan for his greatly loved city, by an American in the tenth generation in this country, whose ancestors had fought against Great Britain, for the most American of American cities.” However, the committee ultimately settled on a flag designed by Rice. The contest received more than 1,000 entries. In a 1928 letter, Rice described some of the stipulations: “By the terms of the competition under the rules laid down by the Chicago Flag Commission in 1917, the use of religious symbols, which included the cross, the star and crescent, and the two triangles, one reversed and superimposed, was barred, for obvious reasons.” The committee chose author, lecturer, and poet Wallace Rice to devise rules for an open competition to design the Chicago flag. Kearnes chaired the commission, which also included prominent Chicagoans such as industrialist Charles Deering and Lawtown S. That year, Mayor William Hale Thompson appointed a municipal flag commission to select a flag design.Īlderman James A. The making of the Chicago flag dates to 1915. It waves proudly in front of homes, adorns shop windows, appears on sports uniforms, and has been inked under the skin of thousands of devoted Chicagoans. Can you describe the municipal flag of your city? In most cities-even major metropolitan centers-the answer is “No.” After all, how often do you see a municipal flag outside of City Hall?Īnd yet even residents of other cities recognize the blue and white bars and red stars of the Chicago flag.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |