The U.S. state flags have been unfairly maligned, and “Good Flag, Bad Flag” has been unjustifiably praised.
Every time a state or city in the U.S. sets up a flag redesign committee, the members of that committee are given a copy of the pamphlet “Good Flag, Bad Flag” by Ted Kaye and directed to judge submissions according to its guidelines. There is, though, nothing scientific in that pamphlet’s five principles, and some of the information it presents is factually inaccurate.
“Good Flag, Bad Flag”: https://nava.org/good-flag-bad-flag
To learn more about Civil War regimental flags:
New York State Military Museum: https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/flags
Pennsylvania Civil War Battle Flags: http://pacivilwarflags.org/
Digital Vermont: https://digitalvermont.org/ (enter “flag” in search box)
ConnecticutHistory.org: https://connecticuthistory.org/hall-of-flags-memorial-to-connecticuts-civil-war-colors/
Delaware Historical Society: https://dehistory.org/regimental-flags-of-the-civil-war/
0:00 The flag redesign movement
0:59 Origin of the classic state flag design
7:25 CGP Grey
7:45 Illinois
10:02 New Jersey
11:47 South Carolina
19:38 “Good Flag, Bad Flag”
20:34 “1. Keep It Simple”
21:33 The state flags are easy to distinguish
25:05 Complex flags are not harder to recognize
27:42 Complex flags do not cost more
30:33 Reversible flags
33:57 Turkmenistan
38:10 “2. Use Meaningful Symbolism”
39:31 Navajo Nation
43:03 “3. Use 2–3 Basic Colors”
44:38 Virginia
49:03 “4. No Lettering or Seals”
49:17 States that put their name on their flag
58:39 Not all text is bad, though
1:04:33 Lettering is not hard to sew
1:05:53 Flag lapel pins
1:09:40 Seals on flags
1:11:26 “5. Be Distinctive or Be Related”
1:11:43 Indonesia
1:16:46 Exceptions to the 5 Principles
1:22:47 “Test Yourself”
1:28:21 What’s the point of this pamphlet?
1:29:02 In defense of an older aesthetic
1:31:58 Conclusion
