The Meaning of a Black and White American Flag

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Everything you need to know about the different variations of this unique flag

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: October 30, 2024 Fact Checked

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Black & White Flag Meaning

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History

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Color Variations

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Head & Guard Tower Variation

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Meaning in Racing

You may have seen black and white U.S. flags flying around your neighborhood or fashioned into patches, stickers, and more. But what do these monochromatic star-spangled banners mean? Here, we’ll break down where these flags come from and what they mean—as well as other black and white flags used to represent Formula 1 and honor POWs.

Black and White American Flag Meaning

The black and white United States flag is commonly used as a symbol of resistance, freedom, and unity. This usage and meaning were popularized by protestors across the U.S., but the black and white flag is also the basis for its "thin line" variations that represent solidarity among certain professional groups.

Section 1 of 5:

What does the black and white U.S. flag mean?

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The black and white U.S. flag typically represents resistance and justice. The black-and-white American flag is a relatively obscure version of the U.S. flag, but it has been around for a long time. While this flag does not have one concrete and universally agreed-upon meaning, it is almost always used to express political resistance, a pursuit of equality, and the desire for justice.^{[1]
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- The black and white U.S. flag has a long history of use before 2020 (it appears on the cover of Outkast’s Stankonia album and on the poster for the film BlacKkKlansman, for example).^{[2]
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  Research source} However, it really became a popular symbol during the protests against police brutality in 2020, which were partially sparked after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.^{[3]
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- The black and white U.S. flag is often associated with more militant forms of political protest, probably because black and white reads visually more like a camouflage or “black bloc” aesthetic.
- An upside-down black and white U.S. flag might be flown to protest the United States government.^{[4]
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Section 2 of 5:

Origin of the Black and White US Flag

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The black and white U.S. flag was popularized by artist Jasper Johns in 1970. Jasper Johns is a famous American artist who is most commonly associated with the Pop Art movement (alongside artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein).^{[5]
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Research source} Johns was obsessed for a period with painting variations of the American flag, and this included multiple experiments with a black and white American flag.^{[6]
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- Johns’ iconic flag paintings were based on his theory that the most powerful images in our society go unstudied. Johns believed that people don’t really look at American flags—they simply register a flag is there and move on. Johns’ flag paintings aim to engage the viewer to reconsider the flag (and its variations) as a type of art worthy of examination. Cool, right?!^{[7]
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There’s no proof that the black and white flag originated during the Civil War. There is an extremely popular story out there surrounding this flag. One version says that Union soldiers in the US Civil War would fly this flag as a way to communicate that they refused to surrender or give quarters (i.e. protection) to prisoners. Another version of the story says that Confederates would fly it as an act of anti-American resistance. Unfortunately, there’s no evidence either story is true.^{[8]
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- There are a few problems with these stories that prevent historians from verifying them. Confederates would have never flown an American flag (after all, they were fighting the United States), and the Union had very concrete flag rules. Beyond that, the Union took serious pride in “Old Glory”—the nickname for the proper U.S. flag.^{[9]
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Section 3 of 5:

Black & White Flags with Colored Lines

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A black and white flag with a blue stripe is a symbol for the police. The blue flag, often referred to as the “thin blue line,” is easily the most popular version of the “thin line” flag. It’s meant to represent police officers, and blue was chosen because it’s the most common color for police uniforms.
- Part of the controversy around the blue line flag is based on the fact that the black and white flag was used so often during the Black Lives Matter protests. It appeared that police were using a variation of the black and white flag to signify that they were in opposition to Black people and their fight for equality in America. Today, the flag is still viewed by many as problematic and even as a hate symbol.^{[10]
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A black and white American flag with a single red stripe is meant to represent firefighters. The red stripe is reminiscent of fire. Fire trucks are also red.^{[11]
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A black and white flag with a green stripe symbolizes first responders. The black and white flag with a green stripe is meant to represent all first responders, including police officers, medics, animal control techs, paramedics, and more.^{[12]
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Research source} Green was chosen for this flag because many federal uniforms are green.^{[13]
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- If you see an American flag with multiple green stripes, that’s the official flag of the New York Police Department.^{[14]
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- If the green stripe is closer to a light lime color (kind of like Mountain Dew), it’s meant to represent solidarity among people who work in the building trades.^{[15]
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A black and white flag with a yellow stripe represents dispatchers, security guards, and truckers. The yellow stripe “thin line” flag is either used to express solidarity with emergency dispatchers, truck drivers, or security guards. This flag is less popular and doesn't have a verified origin, but some sources suggest the yellow is meant to mirror the reflective vests worn by some guards, truckers, or dispatchers.^{[16]
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- Some people make a distinction between a gold flag (for dispatchers) and a yellow flag (for guards and truckers).
The grey (or silver) flag stands for solidarity among people who work in prisons and jails. It’s one of the newer “thin line” flags, but it’s thought that gray was chosen because it’s the color of jail bars and handcuffs.^{[17]
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Section 4 of 5:

Black and White Flag with Head & Guard Tower

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The POW/MIA flag is a black and white flag with the silhouetted profile of a soldier. The flag also features barbed wire, a guard tower, and the text “POW MIA YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.” This flag honors U.S. soldiers lost in combat; POW stands for “prisoners of war,” while MIA stands for “missing in action.”^{[18]
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US Department of Veterans Affairs
U.S. government agency providing healthcare and resources to veterans

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- The POW/MIA flag was created in 1971 to honor soldiers who were either missing in action or captured and held prisoner during the Vietnam War (although the flag honors soldiers lost or captured in all wars).
- Other than the official American flag, the POW/MIA flag is the only other flag allowed to fly at the White House.^{[19]
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- There actually aren’t any active U.S. combatants who are missing in action or being held as prisoners of war right now. In fact, there hasn’t been an official POW or MIA soldier since the end of the Vietnam War.^{[20]
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- However, the POW/MIA flag is still required to be flown above federal buildings at least six days a year to remember these soldiers who have sacrificed for their country throughout history. The required days include National POW/MIA Recognition Day, Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day.^{[21]
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  US Department of Veterans Affairs
  U.S. government agency providing healthcare and resources to veterans
  
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Section 5 of 5:

What is the black and white racing flag?

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The checkered flag was originally used on automotive assembly lines going as far back as 1906. The flags were set up at all checkpoints where certain inspections needed to be performed (get it? Checks occurred at checkpoints with a checkered flag?). Today, the flag is used to mark off laps, let drivers know practice is over, or indicate that a race has started or finished.^{[22]
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