A powerful design milestone and recent acquisition to MoMA's collection, this is the original 1978 iteration of the rainbow flag that has become a symbol of lesbian, bisexual and transgender pride and community worldwide. The two original flags were first unfurled at the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Parade in 1978. They had been hand-dyed and stitched by Gilbert Baker and a group of volunteers. The flag's design stems from Baker's admiration for the universality of the rainbow as a "natural flag in the sky." He was also inspired by the recent United States bi-centennial celebrations where the flag had been used as a symbol of commemoration, power and festivity. He says: "Our job as gay people was to come out, to be visible, to live in the truth as I say, to get out of the lie. A flag really fit that mission, because that's a way of proclaiming your visibility, or saying, "This is who I am!".


MADE IN the USA





SIZE:36l x 60"w





MATERIALS:Nylon








DESIGNER:Gilbert Baker





DATE:1978