African American Flag of Inclusion

DID YOU KNOW In 1999, the “African American Flag of Inclusion” was created by Cecil W. Lee, a New York-based painter, photographer, and digital artist. He presented it at a one-man art show at the defunct Gallery X in Harlem. Lee’s rendition of the flag is a fusion of the American flag and Garvey’s Pan-African flag. By replacing the top seven stripes of the United States national flag with the Black Liberation flag pattern, Lee intended to represent “all African Americans regardless of their individual beliefs or political affiliations.”

In 1998 Lee coined the term "Computer Evolved Multi-medium Art" a form of computer art from which the acronym "CEMA" was derived. He now refers to his work as Computer Evolved Art (CEA) or Computer Evolved Digital Compositions (CEDC).

“The African American Flag of Inclusion represents a concept that has long been part of many an African American's psyche, expressing a reality many of us consciously or unconsciously have acknowledged. It is also an identifying motif intended to represent all African Americans regardless of their individual beliefs or political affiliations.

"A symbol whose time has come. The African American Flag of Inclusion reaches beyond religious, political and philosophical beliefs reflecting the African Americans' unique contributions and accomplishments toward the inventiveness, creativity, building, growth and stability of the United States of America.” - C.Lee, 1999 The elements of the African American Flag of Inclusion stand for: red = life/blood, family, vitality & oneness black = the people, strength, depth & influence green = earth, evolution, growth & progress stars & stripes = equality & unification

There are numerous websites and/or online vendors selling the AA Flag of Inclusion with very few giving credit to its creator. Below are a couple who do.

Historical reference A Timeline Of Black American Flags Throughout History - Essence https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/Flags/us-afro.html#aafi

Here are $2,500 versions of the African American flag of Inclusion by Lee -1999, and David Hammons’, African American Flag – 2009, both reproductions by Louis Cameron currently living in Germany. His is the only instance found where flags are for sale and the original artist credited. Search Results for 'African American flag' | Artsy