The American flag figuratively stands for freedom and democracy. But for it to fully represent those ideals, an Iowa man would like to add something to it just for one month a year. When 68-year-old Lloyd Blackwell, of Des Moines, saw Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck in Minneapolis, he flashed back to the civil rights era of the 1960s. But after the summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, and his horrific deja vu, Blackwell is now seeing something new. “I believe the spirit of truth is sweeping through the country,” Blackwell said. Truth that he’s trying to make real with his new, slightly altered American flag. “You look at the stars and you can see it. And the longer you look at it, the more vivid it becomes,” Blackwell said. What you see are slaves, picking cotton in a field. Blackwell said they represent 400 years of African American tears, toil, tragedy, disappointment and death. “This is our country, too,” Blackwell said. The concept is Blackwell’s, but his friend Calvin Fields completed the flag. “You start with the most popular piece of material in this country and that will grab the attention and hold it,” Blackwell said. Blackwell wants others to think about other interpretations of the flag before claiming his to be sacrilege.”Jan. 6 invasion of the Capitol. I’ve seen flags with President Donald Trump’s face on it. I’ve seen flags with snakes on it that say ‘don’t tread on me.’ This flag right here is a flag of fact,” Blackwell said. The slaves among Blackwell’s stars are historical fact. “They set this country on the path to financial greatness,” Blackwell said. He hopes America will one day salute his flag as a red, white and blue symbol of enduring African American respect. “We all had a piece of making this country great,” Blackwell said.
The American flag figuratively stands for freedom and democracy. But for it to fully represent those ideals, an Iowa man would like to add something to it just for one month a year.
When 68-year-old Lloyd Blackwell, of Des Moines, saw Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck in Minneapolis, he flashed back to the civil rights era of the 1960s.
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But after the summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, and his horrific deja vu, Blackwell is now seeing something new.
“I believe the spirit of truth is sweeping through the country,” Blackwell said.
Truth that he’s trying to make real with his new, slightly altered American flag.
“You look at the stars and you can see it. And the longer you look at it, the more vivid it becomes,” Blackwell said.
What you see are slaves, picking cotton in a field. Blackwell said they represent 400 years of African American tears, toil, tragedy, disappointment and death.
“This is our country, too,” Blackwell said.
The concept is Blackwell’s, but his friend Calvin Fields completed the flag.
“You start with the most popular piece of material in this country and that will grab the attention and hold it,” Blackwell said.
Blackwell wants others to think about other interpretations of the flag before claiming his to be sacrilege.
“Jan. 6 invasion of the Capitol. I’ve seen [American] flags with President Donald Trump’s face on it. I’ve seen flags with snakes on it that say ‘don’t tread on me.’ This flag right here is a flag of fact,” Blackwell said.
The slaves among Blackwell’s stars are historical fact.
“They set this country on the path to financial greatness,” Blackwell said.
He hopes America will one day salute his flag as a red, white and blue symbol of enduring African American respect.
“We all had a piece of making this country great,” Blackwell said.
