A 21-star United States flag that Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum officials call “ultra-rare” goes on display on Thursday at the Springfield site.
The flag was created after Illinois became the 21st state in 1818. The flag features a “grand luminary” star pattern in the shape of a large star and white stripes instead of red at the top and bottom.
A former historian at the ALPLM, Brian Mitchell, told the State Journal-Register recently he believed he was ousted from the job because he voted against the flag’s purchase due to lack of origin information for the flag.
The ALPLM said the flag has been repeatedly authenticated, with one expert calling it a “national treasure.”
21 Star American Flag (Credit: ALPLM)
