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Past & Present: Flag of Earth

This commentary falls between Earth Day, April 22, and the anniversary of the Moon Landing on July 20. Both days mark a series of events that took place in 1969 and 1970, among them several efforts to create a flag to represent the planet Earth. There was already a flag for the United Nations as well as several concepts for a flag to represent the world or humanity in general. Now, just as people saw the earth from space for the first time, some wondered if there should be a flag for the planet as an entity rather than just a collection of peoples.

The best known “Earth Flag” was that of environmental activist John McConnell. Based on a photograph the earth taken from space and centered in a field of dark blue, this flag was originally sold through the Whole Earth Catalogue. McConnell was a founder of the “Earth Day” movement and his “Blue Marble” flag has become especially prominent among those who want to emphasize the need to preserve the environment on this, our little island in the vastness of the space.

Flag of Earth, designed by James Cadle

Meanwhile, a farmer from Illinois named James Cadle created a different flag for the planet. More abstract, this flag had a black background with a large yellow arc at the hoist representing a segment of the sun. The earth appears in the center as a solid blue circle. To the right is a smaller white circle, representing the moon. This flag gained popularity among those interested in space exploration as well as those involved with the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence or “SETI” program.

Of the two, today the Blue Marble flag tends to be the more popular, but both offer a chance to make a statement about who we are and where we fit in the universe.


This post originally featured an image of Earth Flag which was designed by Philip Kanellopoulos, who was inspired by Cadle's flag. We apologize for the mistake.

Jay M. Price is chair of the department of history at Wichita State University, where he also directs the public history program.