A Flag That Looks Familiar: Freedom, Heritage, and the Stories We Carry
- dawonforosseo
- Aug 12
- 3 min read
It’s been a few weeks since July 26, 2025 - the date of the first official Liberian Independence celebration in Brooklyn Park, recognized by the Lieutenant Governor as Liberian Weekend. And it landed right on my birthday weekend - impossible to overlook when the celebration reflects a heritage that’s part of my own story.
What has stayed with me isn’t just the significance of the event or the pride it represented for the Liberian community. It’s the flags.
Red and white stripes. Blue square in the corner. One star.
From a distance, you might mistake it for a variation of the American flag - and you wouldn’t be wrong. The resemblance is intentional. Which leads to a question I’ve been sitting with ever since:
Can you really celebrate independence when the imprint of your oppressor’s design is still stitched into your flag?
The History They Don’t Teach You in School
Liberia’s flag has deep roots tied to the United States. In the early 1800s, the American Colonization Society began relocating freed Black Americans to West Africa. For some, it was an opportunity to build a self-governed nation. For others, it was an enforced departure from a country that had yet to live up to its promises of equality.
The eleven stripes on Liberia’s flag represent the signers of its Declaration of Independence. The single white star marks its place as the first independent African republic. Its design was modeled directly on the American flag - a deliberate choice that preserved a visible connection between the two nations.
Symbols Don’t Stay Still
Flags are more than colors and patterns. They are symbols that hold memory, meaning, and identity. The American flag tells the story of revolution, expansion, and a country still working to meet its own ideals. The Liberian flag tells the story of survival, nation-building, and resilience, even when the blueprint included elements from the very place people had left behind.
Symbols evolve. What once reflected dependency can become a source of pride. For many Liberians today, the flag stands less for the circumstances of its creation and more for the progress made since.
Why This Matters to Me
My connection to Liberia comes through my father, whose African name and heritage trace directly to the continent. My mother is African American. I was born and raised in the United States, and I deeply value this country.
The single star and the fifty stars both hold meaning for me - two journeys, one rooted in Africa and one in America, each shaping my identity in ways that can’t be separated.
Brooklyn Park as a Bridge
Brooklyn Park is home to one of the largest Liberian communities outside of Liberia. That presence is visible in the storefronts, churches, and cultural events that bring people together.
The recognition of Liberian Independence wasn’t only ceremonial, it affirmed that the Liberian flag here represents both heritage and progress. Many in the community have faced war, displacement, and starting over, yet now contribute fully to the American story through business, education, and civic life.
Sitting With the Question
Weeks later, I’m still thinking about it: Can you celebrate independence when your flag still carries the imprint of another nation?
I believe you can. Because the meaning of a flag isn’t locked in the moment it’s created,
it’s shaped by the people who carry it.
The Liberian flag may look familiar, but in the hands of today’s Liberians, it tells a story that belongs entirely to them; one of pride, endurance, and hope for the future.
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### Final Thoughts
2 thoughts I've carried since writing this
History explains the origins of a symbol, but the people holding it decide what it means today.
The next time you see a flag, whether your own or someone else’s, ask: Who is carrying it now, and what story are they telling with it?
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