WHO DESIGNED THE US FLAG

Some people toil all their lives, day and night, to make a
mark in the field they love. So there’s nothing crueler than
seeing someone else grow famous from their work. Yet
many of our most famous creators have been challenged
as to the originality of their work.
In popular culture, the first stars-and-stripes was created
by Betty Ross, who tweaked a design by George
Washington. In truth, there is no hard evidence backing the
claim that Ross created the American flag or had anything
to do with its creation. The oft-told tale actually originates
with her grandson, William Canby , who published an article
about it 100 years later. Canby said he was just repeating a
story told by his grandmother and admitted there was no
other evidence to support it.
A better claim to the flag’s creation might belong to
Francis Hopkinson, who played a leading role in designing
the symbols of the new country. Among other things, he
helped come up with the Great Seal of the United States
and the Treasury seal and even helped design the first
American currency. Later in life, Hopkinson, who was also a
distinguished lawyer and a signatory to the Declaration of
Independence, sought payment from the government for
designing the American flag. Interestingly, the government
did not deny his work on the flag, but Hopkinson’s political
adversaries at the Treasury repeatedly blocked his claim .
The case was allowed to drag on for over a year before
Hopkinson gave up in exasperation. In its final report, the
Treasury argued that Hopkinson wasn’t entitled to
compensation because he had been drawing a hefty
government salary at the time and couldn’t reasonably
expect additional money for any extra services he provided.
They also argued that unnamed others had been consulted
on the design, so Hopkinson shouldn’t get full credit
anyway.