United States Flag that covered President Kennedy's Casket
Artifact IDMO 63.1989
Object Type
Flag
Date
1962-1963
Manufacturer
Valley Forge Flag Company
(American, founded 1882)
Place MadeSpring City, Pennsylvania, United States, North America
Medium
Cotton
DimensionsOverall H 15 in x W 21 in (38.1 cm x 53.3 cm)
Physical DescriptionUnited States flag, folded into triangle. On the upper left corner of the front of the flag is the number 2 written in pencil.
Historical NoteThis American flag adorned the coffin of President John F. Kennedy. It was presented to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy at her husband's funeral.
A number 2 is pencilled on the flag's header, representing the identification number of the seamstress who hand-sewed the stars onto the blue field. Supervisors at the Valley Forge Flag Company, the flag's manufacturer, used these handwritten numbers to track the completion rate of each seamstress.
Additional DetailsA number 2 is pencilled on the flag's header, representing the identification number of the seamstress who hand-sewed the stars onto the blue field. Supervisors at the Valley Forge Flag Company, the flag's manufacturer, used these handwritten numbers to track the completion rate of each seamstress.
Custodial History NoteItem was received from the government to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy at the funeral of President Kennedy in 1963, it was transferred to General Service Office and held until donated to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library by the Estate of President John F. Kennedy in 1965.
Credit LineJohn F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, MA; Gift of the Estate of President John F. Kennedy
National Archives Catalog CollectionJohn F. Kennedy Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 1676934)
National Archives Catalog SeriesJohn F. Kennedy Memorial Collection (National Archives Identifier 1677008)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedUse Restriction NoteReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.In Collection(s)
Not on view