# Have you heard this origin story of the 50 star US flag? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 6, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519 "2022-07-06T18:53:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/1 "2022-07-06T18:53:16Z")
You can read the whole story [here](https://slate.com/culture/2022/06/american-flag-history-scam-designer-robert-heft-50-stars.html). I have never heard it myself so I was curious how widespread it was. Kind of TLDR: In 1959 a junior in high school did a 50 star flag as a class project, as the flag at that point had 48, but Alaska and Hawaii would need to be added. His teacher gave him a B on the project. He sent a copy to his state senator. A few years later, he get’s a call from President Eisenhower congratulating him, his design would be the US flag. Big deals, gets to meet Eisenhower, local news takes him back to teacher and films him crossing out the B and giving him an A. Everyone calls him the modern Betsy Ross. Except, much like Betsy Ross, none of it is true. I have never heard any story like this. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/2 "2022-07-06T19:05:25Z")
Never heard that story. The history I’m familiar with is more about the political maneuvering about admission (particularly the weird reticence to admitting Hawaii) than about the vexillology. It’s a US flag. I assume the government has professionals to design that kind of stuff. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/3 "2022-07-06T19:40:21Z")
What I thought was weird is that the story is written like everyone had heard of this guy. I actually scrolled back up and checked the date for April Fools or something. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/4 "2022-07-06T20:20:27Z")
I have heard about Mr. Heft and may have seen that episode of “I’ve Got a Secret” somewhere. I am a bit surprised that the article in the OP makes no mention of this from the Eisenhower Library: [![](https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/styles/image_optimization_1200px/public/images/flag-designs-13.png?itok=HKBJVges) ](https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/styles/image_optimization_1200px/public/images/flag-designs-13.png?itok=HKBJVges) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/5 "2022-07-06T20:22:45Z")
Robert Heft’s story is false. > **[The Very American Tale of Why the Country Still Believes a Decades-Old Lie...](https://slate.com/culture/2022/06/american-flag-history-scam-designer-robert-heft-50-stars.html)** > > Everyone from NPR to the Smithsonian credits today’s Stars and Stripes to Robert Heft. The truth is much stranger. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/6 "2022-07-06T20:23:52Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Robert Heft’s story is false. Which is noted in the OP with a link to the same article. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/7 "2022-07-06T20:30:45Z")
Heard that story somewhere, but not in such detail. Interesting scam he had going. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/8 "2022-07-06T20:36:49Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > It’s a US flag. I assume the government has professionals to design that kind of stuff. Slightly adjusting the number of stars is not much of a redesign. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/9 "2022-07-06T20:56:29Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > I have heard about Mr. Heft Would you have been able to come up with his name on your own, or did seeing it trigger your memory? Looking for the Eisenhower flag you showed, the first Google hit after that has this in it: > According to _[Reader’s Digest](https://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/american-flag-high-school-project/)_ , the 50-star flag was began as a high school project for which the student Bob Heft only received a B- on his project. The flag was later chosen by President Eisenhower as the design for new flag out of 1000+ designs, and Heft’s grade was bumped up to an A. Over 10 presidents have served under this flag, from Eisenhower through to the present. That’s got to pretty much settle it. _Reader’s Digest_ would never publish a false story! > [@DPRK](#): > > Slightly adjusting the number of stars is not much of a redesign. We don’t have to worry now, fortunately he designed a 51 star flag before he died. This means we don’t have to hold a countrywide competition of high schoolers for our next flag. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/10 "2022-07-06T21:10:15Z")
Were there any 49-star flags manufactured in the year or so between Hawaii and Alaska’s admittance? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/11 "2022-07-06T21:16:04Z")
I’m going to guess so, since a number of sources state that the official U.S. flag had 49 stars from July 4th, 1959, until July 3rd, 1960. Then again, given the Heft story, I suppose I’m a bit skeptical about any flag history on current websites. 😉 [https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-1959.html](https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-1959.html) > **[The Little-Known 49-Star Flag — Steve Lovelace](https://steve-lovelace.com/49-star-flag/)** > > For most of the 20th century, the American Flag had 48 stars. Since 1960, it's had 50. But there was also a little-known 49-star flag used in 1959-1960. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/12 "2022-07-06T22:05:51Z")
Well, Wikisource is a bit more legit and references the relevant Executive Order. [https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Executive\_Order\_10798](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Executive_Order_10798) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/13 "2022-07-06T22:58:38Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > Would you have been able to come up with his name on your own, or did seeing it trigger your memory? The latter. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/14 "2022-07-06T22:59:41Z")
Also, for the record, I’d never heard of the guy, or his story (his fabricated one, or the real one) before now. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/15 "2022-07-06T23:17:39Z")
I would be genuinely interested to know the following– Of the people who say that they’ve never heard of Robert Heft or his story, do any of you consider yourselves to be voracious readers? Because I’m a voracious reader, and I came across that story years ago. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/16 "2022-07-06T23:23:56Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > Of the people who say that they’ve never heard of Robert Heft or his story, do any of you consider yourselves to be voracious readers? > > Because I’m a voracious reader, and I came across that story years ago. Doesn’t matter how much you read – it’s easy to miss trivia like this. … I had run across Heft’s story in the past, but I wouldn’t have been able to place his name. Further, I can’t recall where I might have read about that. Could’ve been something like _Reader’s Digest_. Could’ve been one of those Isaac Asimov trivia books or something similar. Could’ve been an issue of _Highlights_. No idea. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/17 "2022-07-06T23:32:37Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > Of the people who say that they’ve never heard of Robert Heft or his story, do any of you consider yourselves to be voracious readers? > > Because I’m a voracious reader, and I came across that story years ago. Yes, and particularly when I was younger (even as a kid in the '70s), I read every magazine that showed up in our house, as well as the newsaper. I mention that because I read _Reader’s Digest_ (which has come up in this thread) cover to cover every month when I was a kid. It’s entirely possible that I read his story, or heard about him, back then, and it’d had completely fallen out of my memory in the intervening decades. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/18 "2022-07-06T23:35:16Z")
Somebody needs do a similar story and investigate where the hell the “Canada burned down the White House” story came from and why so many Canadians (and Americans) believe it. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/19 "2022-07-06T23:39:08Z")
I seem to recall Cecil covered this topic years ago, but this story never came up. a little searching: [How will stars be arranged on the flag if the U.S. ever has 51 states? - The Straight Dope](https://www.straightdope.com/21341956/how-will-stars-be-arranged-on-the-flag-if-the-u-s-ever-has-51-states) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519/20 "2022-07-07T00:00:46Z")
That’s where the science of “tesselation” is used to arrange the stars. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-this-origin-story-of-the-50-star-us-flag/967519.md?page=2)