Hopkinson(?) Flag-June 1777

In May of 1780, Francis Hopkinson sent a request to Congress for a quarter cask of the public wine as reward for “Labors of Fancy” including designs for the Seal and the Flag of the United States of America.  Less than two weeks later, he revised his request to specify the Naval Flag of the United States and this time ask for $2,700.  Following much red tape and back-and-forth Hopkinson’s request was denied.  Reasons stated included “Hopkinson was not the only person consulted” and “the Public is entitled to these little acts of assistance from gentlemen who enjoy a considerable salary under Congress.”

 Francis Hopkinson was a New Jersey attorney and “gentleman amateur” who dabbled in everything from music to art.  In June of 1776, he joined the Continental Congress.  Just in time to vote for Independence and sign the Declaration.  That fall, he was appointed to the Continental Navy Board.

Many historians credit Hopkinson with designing the American Flag, although it is unclear whether he billed congress for the design of the national Flag or Navy Flag.   No example or drawing exists of the Flag designed by Hopkinson.  However, it is thought to have been the design approved in the Flag Act of 1777.

Sources:

Furlong, William and McCandless, Byron “So Proudly We Hail, The History of the United States Flag” pp. 98-101 (1981) Smithsonian Institution Press

Hastings, George “The Life and Works of Francis Hopkinson” pp. 242-249 (1926) University of Chicago Press. https://archive.org/details/lifeworksoffranc0000geor/page/242/mode/2up

Hildeburn, Charles R., F. H., John Hart, Joseph Reed, and Geo. Washington. “Francis Hopkinson.” The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 2, no. 3 (1878): 314–24. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20084353.

Hopkinson, Francis “Letter to Congress May 25, 1780” from https://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/francis-hopkinson-letter-to-congress-may-25-1780.html#:~:text=The%20letter%20is%20a%20bill,American%20flag%20and%20other%20items.

Hopkinson, Francis “Letter to Congress June 6, 1780” from https://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/francis-hopkinson-letter-to-congress-june-6-1780.html

Journals of Continental Congress, Volume 8 (1774-1789) http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=lljc&fileName=008/lljc008.db&recNum=90