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CULTURE
How America's Racist History Makes Its Flag a Polarizing Symbol
Everyone doesn't see the American flag as a symbol of valor, purity, and justice
The album art for Beyoncé's Renaissance Act II shows the 42-year-old superstar riding on a white horse, wearing a banner that reads "Cowboy Carter," while holding the American flag. This artistic depiction is loaded with meaning and symbolism. For some, this image of a Black woman wearing red, white, and blue is a sort of cultural reclamation, while others argue the inclusion of the flag was tone-deaf and antithetical to some of her previous looks. Before you fall any further down this rabbit hole, I realize that critiquing Beyoncé is taboo. After all, she's won 32 Grammy awards, more than any other artist in the academy's history, and is a beloved celebrity. But what's the fun of art if we can't subjectively experience it?
It's no secret that Black people have mixed feelings about the American flag. To understand why, we must first examine this country's history. The founding fathers had a vision of American society that differs significantly from the one we have today. One where White men were the only group who could vote and where Black people were considered property and not free citizens. Indeed, Black Americans are the only group who…
