"Loud and Proud" Pride Flag
Title
"Loud and Proud" Pride Flag
Subject
March on Washington
Flags
Parades
Pride
Description
Photograph of a pride flag made by Terry Sweeney and Pat Phalen. The flag was carried in several Pride parades including the 1993 March on Washington and was on display at many Pride events.
Description provided by donor Terry Sweeney: "Living here in the midwest carries a stigma of being in the middle of nowhere and always behind times. The LGBT community would see other “more progressive” areas and their efforts surrounding pride celebrations. Those celebrations always seemed to be out there, loud and proud whereas we were just beginning to grow from holding Pride Marches in the dark with candlelight. Some people, who were there just to watch, were there with masks and sacks over their head (literally). Hopefully to avoid being identified as one of them but still wanting to be supportive. Others would choose not to watch from the sidelines and to actually walk with the group. For some it took another year or two to become comfortable enough to take that step, unmasked, on what would become a lifelong journey. And, some never made it back for many different reasons.
Pat and I decided to make this flag as a kind of loud and proud statement for our midwest culture, large, noticeable and proud. Something our community and our celebrations of “us” were reaching for. Statements of LGBT pride like these flags were not known to be available in our midwest city, so we decided to make something ourselves. We made a total of two flags for use in the community. Once completed these flags were carried in several Pride parades and on display at many Pride events. They certainly did lend the flavor of loud and proud that was intended for the time and most likely would today as well."
The flag measures approximately 97 inches x 66 inches and is made from light plastic material.
Description provided by donor Terry Sweeney: "Living here in the midwest carries a stigma of being in the middle of nowhere and always behind times. The LGBT community would see other “more progressive” areas and their efforts surrounding pride celebrations. Those celebrations always seemed to be out there, loud and proud whereas we were just beginning to grow from holding Pride Marches in the dark with candlelight. Some people, who were there just to watch, were there with masks and sacks over their head (literally). Hopefully to avoid being identified as one of them but still wanting to be supportive. Others would choose not to watch from the sidelines and to actually walk with the group. For some it took another year or two to become comfortable enough to take that step, unmasked, on what would become a lifelong journey. And, some never made it back for many different reasons.
Pat and I decided to make this flag as a kind of loud and proud statement for our midwest culture, large, noticeable and proud. Something our community and our celebrations of “us” were reaching for. Statements of LGBT pride like these flags were not known to be available in our midwest city, so we decided to make something ourselves. We made a total of two flags for use in the community. Once completed these flags were carried in several Pride parades and on display at many Pride events. They certainly did lend the flavor of loud and proud that was intended for the time and most likely would today as well."
The flag measures approximately 97 inches x 66 inches and is made from light plastic material.
Date
Circa 1990
Creator
Terry Sweeney
Pat Phalen
Source
Terry Sweeney and Pat Phalen Papers, Archives & Special Collections, Criss Library, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Publisher
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Relation
Terry Sweeney and Pat Phalen Papers finding aid at: https://archives.nebraska.edu/repositories/4/resources/558
Files
Citation
Terry Sweeney and Pat Phalen, “"Loud and Proud" Pride Flag,” Queer Omaha Archives | UNO Libraries, accessed April 19, 2024, https://queeromahaarchives.omeka.net/items/show/2066.