Pi Kappa Phi flag, circa 1928-1929
This flag was donated by Albert Meisel, Alpha Xi (Brooklyn Poly).
The flag was originally commissioned by then outgoing Executive Secretary George Sheetz, Alpha (Charleston), and fellow staff member William Blalock, Eta (Emory). These gentlemen collaborated on the insignia of the fraternity at this time in our history, including the design for our official flag.
The flag is made of somewhat coarse cotton fibers that would have been available during that time period. While not ‘hand’ stitched, the star and lamp symbols are appliqued to the field of blue, while the Greek letters are attached in the same fashion on the field of white. Applique is a popular method of applying one fabric on top of another, with the edges being satin stitched to give the shape a nice finished edge, providing stability and detail to the insignia. The flag is in excellent condition for its age of roughly 85 years. Unfortunately, we do not know who or what company made this particular flag, however, it is cherished as our oldest, and reflects basically the same design elements as our current flag. If you have any additional history of this item, please share that information with us!
Flags on display
Additional flags displayed in the office include one that was carried into space on April 4, 1997. The Space Shuttle Columbia launched on that day from Kennedy Space Center with alumnus initiate Roger Crouch, Gamma Beta (Old Dominion), as the Payload Specialist. Brother Crouch presented the flag, along with a photo and commemorative patch at the 46th Supreme Chapter in Chicago, Illinois.
The third framed flag of the fraternity flew in the cockpit of an F-18 Hornet with United States Navy Lieutenant Abe Bush, Delta Omega (Texas A&M). Brother Bush, flew 18 combat hours and countless sorties in Afghan airspace during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 while stationed aboard the USS Carl Vinson.
Schedule a visit the Eldred Harman Museum at the Kelley A. Bergstrom Leadership Center in Charlotte.