You’ve probably seen it waving on a front porch or plastered on a bumper sticker. The circle of thirteen stars. The crisp red and white stripes. To most, it's just the "Betsy Ross flag," a piece of Americana as baked-in as apple pie. But lately, things have gotten weird. What used to be a standard-issue symbol of the American Revolution is now a lightning rod for arguments.
People get heated. Honestly, it’s kinda wild how a flag from the 1770s can start a modern-day shouting match on social media. One side sees a beautiful tribute to our origins. The other sees a "dog whistle" for something much darker.
So, let's get into it. Is the Betsy Ross flag political?
The short answer is: it wasn't supposed to be, but it definitely is now. Like a lot of things in 2026, the meaning of the flag depends almost entirely on who is holding it—and who is looking at it.
The Nike Moment That Changed Everything
If you’re wondering when this really hit the fan, look back to 2019. Nike was about to release the Air Max 1 "Quick Strike" Fourth of July sneakers. They featured the Betsy Ross flag on the heel. Then, Colin Kaepernick reportedly reached out to the company. He argued that the flag was offensive because of its association with an era of slavery.
Nike pulled the shoe.
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The backlash was instant and massive. Governors threatened to pull tax incentives. People filmed themselves burning their Nikes (again). It was a mess. But that moment basically cemented the flag’s new status. It moved from "historical relic" to "political statement" overnight. Critics pointed out that while the flag represents independence, that independence didn't apply to the hundreds of thousands of Black people enslaved at the time. Supporters argued that judging the 18th century by modern standards is a slippery slope that erases history.
What Do the Experts Say?
Here is where the nuance matters. If you ask the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), they’ll tell you it’s complicated. For years, the ADL has maintained that the Betsy Ross flag is an "innocuous historical flag." It is not on their list of hate symbols.
Mark Pitcavage, a senior researcher at the ADL's Center on Extremism, has been pretty vocal about this. He notes that while some extremist groups—like the Three Percenters or certain white supremacist factions—have occasionally used the flag, they haven't "co-opted" it in the way they have with other symbols.
"It's not a thing in the white supremacist movement," Pitcavage once told the Associated Press.
Basically, just because a bad person holds a flag doesn't mean the flag itself is bad. But in a world of optics, that distinction often gets lost. When the "Three Percenters" (a far-right militia group) put a Roman numeral "III" inside that circle of stars, they create a version that is undeniably political and extremist. For many people, the two designs have started to blur together.
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The Myth vs. The Reality
Here is the kicker: Betsy Ross probably didn't even design the flag.
I know, it's a bummer. But most serious historians, including experts at the Smithsonian and the Museum of the American Revolution, agree there's no contemporary evidence George Washington ever walked into her shop and asked for a flag.
The story didn't even surface until 1870. That’s nearly 100 years after the fact. Her grandson, William Canby, presented a paper to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania claiming his grandmother made the first flag. He had affidavits from family members, but zero documents from the Continental Congress.
If she didn't do it, who did?
- Francis Hopkinson: A signer of the Declaration of Independence. He actually sent a bill to Congress asking to be paid for designing the flag.
- The "Committee of Three": Legend says Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross formed a committee, but there's no record of this committee ever existing.
- Local Seamstresses: Philadelphia was full of upholsterers. Betsy was definitely one of them, and she did make flags for the Pennsylvania Navy, but she was one of many.
The "Betsy Ross" story became popular in the late 1800s because America was looking for a hero. We were coming out of the Civil War and heading into the Centennial. We needed a story of domestic, feminine patriotism. Betsy fit the bill perfectly.
Why the Flag Still Matters (and Stings)
To some, the 13-star flag represents a "purer" version of the country. It’s about the spirit of 1776—rebellion against overreach, self-governance, and grit. For these folks, calling the flag political or "racist" feels like an attack on America itself.
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But you have to look at the context of its modern use. When students at a majority-white high school in Michigan waved the Betsy Ross flag at a football game against a majority-Black school in 2016, it wasn't a history lesson. It was used as a tool of exclusion.
The flag hasn't changed. We have.
How to Handle the Controversy
If you're thinking about flying the flag or wearing it, you've gotta be aware of the "vibe" it sends. In a museum? Totally fine. At a Revolutionary War reenactment? Expected. On the back of a lifted truck alongside a "Don't Tread on Me" flag? That's a political statement.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Design: Ensure the flag doesn't have "III" or other symbols inside the stars if you want to avoid extremist associations.
- Know the History: If someone asks why you're flying it, be ready to talk about the 13 colonies and the actual history of 1777, rather than just the myth.
- Acknowledge the Context: Recognize that for some, the flag represents a time when they weren't free. Being aware of that doesn't mean you can't be patriotic; it just means you're informed.
The Betsy Ross flag remains a powerful symbol of the American story, but like the country itself, that story is messy, complicated, and still being written.