Only One Month Remains to See "Flags and Founding Documents" Special Exhibition, on View through Sept. 6

More than 40 Rare American Flags Displayed Alongside Historic Documents Reflect a Growing and Changing American Nation

Only one month remains to experience more than 40 rare American flags displayed alongside historic documents in the Museum of the American Revolution’s special summer exhibition Flags and Founding Documents, 1776 – Today. The exhibition is on view through Monday, September 6, 2021, as part of the Museum’s Revolutionary Summer. 

The flags serve as a visual narrative of America's national story by tracing the evolution of the Stars and Stripes through the addition and subtraction of stars as new states joined the Union and the nation battled through the Civil War. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Flags reflect the tension between dreams and realities…which the museum’s exhibition makes manifest.” Many of the flags —most of which are on loan from Jeff R. Bridgman, a leading dealer in antique American flags and political textiles— have never been exhibited before.

The flags are showcased alongside historic documents, including early printings of more than 16 different state constitutions and the Choctaw Nation Constitution of 1838 to “both celebrate the nation and examine its historic threads of slavery, religious intolerance, and Native American relations” (WHYY.org). The display sheds light on the triumphs and tensions that the United States faced as it expanded and worked toward creating a “more perfect Union.”

The documents, on loan to the Museum from the Dorothy Tapper Goldman Foundation, were previously displayed at the New-York Historical Society as Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions: Creating the American Republic, curated by Dr. James F. Hrdlicka. A catalog created to accompany the exhibit, featuring a foreword by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is now available in the Museum’s shop.

Throughout the run of the exhibit, visitors of all ages can enjoy flag-themed pop-up talks with a Museum educator. At a discovery cart, visitors will learn the story of Rebecca Flower Young, who worked in Philadelphia making flags and drum cases for the Continental Army. Families can explore the exhibit using a printed Family Guide full of games and activities. At activity stations, visitors can express what’s meaningful to them by making their own flag and using movable magnetics to write their own constitution. 

Key artifacts in the exhibit include:

• A 13-star flag, circa 1800-1825, featuring a “Great Star” pattern—a star made out of stars—one of the earliest American flags known to survive.
• A ca. 1846-48 flag, believed to have been carried during the Civil War, that was likely made to represent the 14 free states where slavery was illegal.
• A large (nearly 9 ft. wide) anti-slavery flag ca. 1861 featuring 13 black and white stripes and 23 stars, which excluded the Confederate states from its star count. The flag reads “No Union With Slavery.”
• An anti-Vietnam War version of the American national flag bearing 50 stars arranged in a peace symbol with a flattened bottom, almost in the shape of a mushroom cap.
• A rare, original first printing of the proposed U.S. Constitution of 1787.
• The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, printed by John Dunlap in 1776.
• A printing of the Bill of Rights as Proposed by the House of Representatives (17 Amendments) in 1789.
• The Constitution and Laws of the Choctaw Nation, written in 1838.
• A printing of the Constitution of the Proposed State of Wyoming, which granted women the right to vote in 1889, three decades before the 19th Amendment.
• The majority opinion of Chief Justice Roger B. Taney in the 1857 case of Dred Scott v. Sandford, which claimed that Black people could never become American citizens.
• A 1781 printed compilation of the 13 state constitutions of the new United States, on loan from the Rosenbach, Philadelphia, which includes handwritten annotations that analyze how each constitution affected Jewish Americans at the time.

The exhibit is included with regular Museum admission. Tickets to the Museum can be purchased by calling 215.253.6731 or at amrevmuseum.org. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. with enhanced health and safety protocols. During the exhibition’s closing weekend, Labor Day Weekend, September 4 – 6, kids 12 and under will receive free admission to the Museum (available at the front desk).

Flags and Founding Documents, 1776-Today is presented by American Heritage Credit Union. The exhibition was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Additional sponsorship is provided by The Color Guard of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution, Morris W. Offit, Mark R. Shenkman, and the family of Irvin and Anita Schorsch. America 250’s official recognition of Flags and Founding Documents, 1776-Today acknowledges the program as an expression of the America 250 vision to inspire the American spirit.

About Jeff Bridgman
Jeff Bridgman is the owner of Jeff R. Bridgman Antiques, Inc. He opened his business 28 years ago and has since participated in more than 1,400 antique shows. Bridgman also operates a full-time textile conservation business where he has preserved and framed thousands of flags and related textiles. Today, Bridgman is widely considered to be the foremost expert in the field of antique American flags and the preeminent dealer of flags and American political textiles. He has lectured on antique American flags for many years, has curated museum exhibits, and has performed appraisals for leading museums, insurance companies, and major collectors. Bridgman is a member of the American Antiques Dealers Association and the Antiques Council. He serves on the board of directors of the Stars & Stripes Foundation.

About Dorothy Tapper Goldman
A collector since childhood, Dorothy Tapper Goldman first became involved in collecting historical American documents when her late husband, S. Howard Goldman, bequeathed his copy of the Dunlap and Claypoole printing of the United States Constitution. This remarkable document inspired her own pursuit of constitutional material, focusing specifically on state constitutions in various stages of development and early federal constitutions. In addition to her extensive collection in this arena, her varied interests have brought her into the worlds of Chinese works of art, modern European and American art, and Native American basketry. She has served on many boards, including the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, The Jewish Theological Seminary, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and The Supreme Court Historical Society, where she has endowed fellowships and internships. The Dorothy Tapper Goldman Foundation works specifically to advance the fundamental principles of America's founding documents through educational programs and grants.

About American Heritage Credit Union
American Heritage Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative with more than $3.5 billion in assets serving more than 800 Workplace Partners and more than 200,000 members, with more than 35 locations across Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware and Camden Counties. Founded in 1948, American Heritage Credit Union is now one of the top 100 largest credit unions in the United States. For more information about American Heritage Credit Union please visit at www.americanheritagecu.org.

About Museum of the American Revolution
The Museum of the American Revolution uncovers and shares compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. Through the Museum’s unmatched collection, immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive elements, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in ensuring that the promise of the American Revolution endures. Located just steps away from Independence Hall, the Museum serves as a portal to the region’s many Revolutionary sites, sparking interest, providing context, and encouraging exploration. The Museum, which opened on April 19, 2017, is a private, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.