Historical significance

From a social anthropological perspective, the inclusive maturation of President Abraham Lincoln's courage to address chattel slavery within the four years of his leadership during the Civil War, demystified social justice in Congress and the U.S. military. His moral and political transformation developed him into a civil rights activist.  Since the 1860's, with the exception of the 19th Amendment, Congress and Lincoln's presidential successors have been challenged by their problematic inheritance to protect social justice at the magnitude of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. Remember, President Lincoln's final Emancipation Proclamation was the cornerstone for the 13th Amendment.

The following quote from the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and the final Emancipation Proclamation identifies an important expectation established by President Lincoln to support African Americans: "The military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom." 

On January 12, 1865, U.S. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton and Union General William T. Sherman respected the above directive from President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and met with 20 African American men from local churches in Savannah, Georgia.  On January 16, 1865, Union General Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15, which fulfilled one of the most important directives from the final Emancipation Proclamation.

The Flag of Remembrance 1865 is the illustrative depiction of the main idea of Special Field Order No. 15, the distribution of up to forty acres of land. The mule, a representation of endurance, was not a part of the Field Order, but mules were donated later. The rays in the four corners on the flag are representative of social, psychological, political, and economic factors: slavery and dignity (top left hoist),  respect and emancipation (top right fly), hope and perseverance (bottom left hoist), and equality and prosperity (bottom right fly). The yellow background represents freedom [the 13th Amendment], healing, and the expansion of unified-diversity.

Flag of Remembrance 1865 is a commemorative symbol to forever honor the end of the American Civil War and the year freedom confirmed manifested for every body, spirit, and soul that was subjected to and/or against chattel slavery in America.  Also, it encourages those with or without an ancestral connection to chattel slavery to advocate/embrace their inalienable rights as free Americans today, in honor of unified-diversity. 

Flag of Remembrance 1865 symbolism is a microcosm of the American flag's purpose and power.  Its narrative is embedded in the symbolism of the American flag. 

Flag of Remembrance 1865 purpose is to inspire unified-diversity, educate people about the transformative positive power in unified-diversity, and commemorate conscience contributions to American history from people such as, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson and President Gerald R. Ford:

• Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson founded the Association for the Study of [Negro] African American Life and History and Negro History Week which later morphed into Negro History Month. The following quote from the NAACP states its best: “During his lifetime, Dr. Woodson developed an important philosophy of history. History, he insisted, was not the mere gathering of facts. The object of historical study is to arrive at a reasonable interpretation of the facts. History is more than political and military records of peoples and nations. It must include some description of the social conditions of the period being studied.”

• President Gerald R. Ford demonstrated a national transparent value for the African American experience.  In 1975, President Ford invited Americans to act with dignity and respect by learning and celebrating African American history. He was the first president to acknowledge Negro History Week in 1975 and Negro History Month in 1976. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter began his inaugural address by publicly affirming President Gerald R. Ford's leadership as follows, "For myself and for our nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land."