Written by:

— Douglas Westfall, American Historian
— Marko Rudela, Author

This theme on the new $10 bill is not about individuals, not about causes, not about race, nor about gender — but about America and America’s freedom. Who better than to represent that ideal than Mary Young, the woman who made America’s Flag: the Star-Spangled Banner.

The new $10 note should revolve around the theme of democracy — freedom. The current portraits on US bills are not about those Americans, nor do they represent those individuals but the portraits do represent America. All of the bills we American’s see daily carry this message.

George Washington is America’s founding Father; Thomas Jefferson crafted America’s Constitution; Abraham Lincoln held America together in a time of crisis; Alexander Hamilton defended America during the Revolutionary War; Andrew Jackson defended America during the War of 1812; Ulysses S. Grant defended America during the Civil War and Benjamin Franklin — created the forerunner of our American Congress.

While there are two notable women on our present-day coinage, the one woman who has been on our currency for over two hundred years, is Miss Liberty. Representing freedom, her image is the theme of the new bills. Yet in this time of change, there will soon be a woman on our $10 bills.

Again, this theme is not about individuals, not about causes, not about race, nor about gender — but about America and America’s freedom. Who better than to represent that ideal than Mary Young, the woman who made America’s Flag, the Star-Spangled Banner. Flag making was in her heritage as her mother made flags as well.

Mary Young’s mother Rebecca Flower Young, made the flags for Washington’s Army — indeed Rebecca made the flag for Washington’s Inauguration. Rebecca worked with Mary and Rebecca’s granddaughter’s Caroline, Eliza, and Margaret along with an indentured African American girl to craft the Great Flag.

Sewing the pieces in her home, this widow with her aged mother and the young girls, then assembled the great flag in a warehouse. It is not that Mary made this one flag, she made dozens — if not hundreds. As did her mother Rebecca before her. It is not that Mary just made the Star-Spangled Banner — she made two.

Mary crafted the Star-Spangled Banner, a 30 x 42 foot garrison flag along with the 17 x 25 foot storm flag, both of which were flown over Fort McHenry. It was this larger garrison flag which Francis Scott Key watched as he wrote his poem during that great battle of 1814 against the British — while he was held prisoner.

That poem which became America’s National Anthem — the song that we all stand to salute our Freedom at nearly every single event today, was written while looking at Mary’s flag. From a Presidential Inauguration to a high school football game, we American’s stand to our national anthem.

We stand for our American Flag and to our National Anthem. We salute our freedom, our country and our flag — and the anthem that comes from battle, the anthem that means freedom — the anthem that comes from the flag of Mary Young. Who better than to represent that ideal of Freedom than Mary Young, the woman who made America’s Flag — the Star-Spangled Banner.

Here at the Flag House, we had a wonderful Star-Spangled Sunday on June 14! With about a hundred visitors, we were able to share the story of Mary Pickersgill and the Star-Spangled Banner with new friends and neighbors as well as honoring our Flag House Scholar Award recipient, Matthew Z from Montgomery County.

Our Executive Director, Amanda Davis created a PDF to share with everyone who wasn’t able to join us in person and it can be downloaded right here. We look forward to seeing everyone for our Historic Cooking program in September!

NSCAR National President Betsy Ehmcke and Senior National President Billie J. Spence

The final year of the War of 1812 bicentennial brought many exciting events and opportunities to the Flag House, including our year long partnership with the National Society of the Children of the American Revolution for their national project O’ Say Can You See. In the spring of 2014 the Flag House was approached by National President Betsy Ehmcke to develop a project that would teach NSCAR members and their families about the history of the American flag, Mary Pickersgill, and support the Flag House’s efforts to update a rehabilitate the flagpoles and flags on the museum grounds. Limited resources had kept us from making these changes, but with the dedication of the amazing kids and families involved in NSCAR our hopes have become reality.

NSCAR members show their support for the Flag House

Last month, Executive Director, Amanda Davis had the pleasure of attending the NSCAR’s 2015 National Convention, the culminating event to O’ Say Can You See, and was overwhelmed to learn that through the sale of special souvenir pins, donations, and hard work the NSCAR raised over $20,000 in support of the Flag House’s initiative.

Over the last year NSCAR families from across the country have come to visit the Flag House to learn about their national project and Mary Young Pickersgill’s contribution to the history of the American flag as they shared selfies to commemorate their visits. The Flag House also installed items from their permanent collection in the main display case of the NSCAR museum at DAR Constitution Hall.

NSCAR National President Betsy Ehmcke and Executive Director of the Flag House Amanda Davis

The Flag House sincerely thanks the NSCAR for their support and a truly Star-Spangled year! Please consider supporting the 2015 NSCAR National project, Road to Independence. More information can be found by visiting http://www.nscar.org/

Have you gotten your print of the Flag House Bicentennial Poster from our 2014 partnership with MICA’s Globe Printing? We still have some copies left that you can take home for only $20 at our gift shop!

Designed by 2011 MICA graduate Allison Fisher, the design used hand-carved wood blocks from the type used to create posters for everyone from circus acts to Marvin Gaye and James Brown.

For more information on the process, you can check out the Baltimore Fishbowl article from last September here!