SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is once again in the spotlight after its directors made a purchase without consulting the collections committee. 21 Star Flag The explanation that it is an unusual flag signifying Illinois’ admission into the Union in 1818 is disputed.
The flag was purchased at an online auction for more than $15,000, and the Illinois Inspector General’s Office has launched an investigation into the funds used to purchase it. The purchase has caused a rift within the Springfield museum’s leadership and may have led to the firing of employees who claim the purchase circumvented procedures.
The flag is 7 feet 5 inches long and 6 feet 5 inches wide (2.26 meters by 1.96 meters) and is called the “Grand Luminary” because of the 21 stars arranged in a star pattern. Museum spokesman Christopher Wills said he believes the flag represents Illinois’ admission as the 21st state.
Such a flag is unusual because the design was changed a year later when Alabama and Maine were admitted to the Union.
But respected flag expert Jeff Bridgeman told The Associated Press that the flag’s construction and materials suggest it was created decades later, during the Civil War, and that the stars could be a Southern exclusivity flag representing states that remained loyal to the Union.
Mr Bridgeman said he has a collection of around 3,000 flags, mostly from the 19th century, and that this one does not date from 1818.
“If that was the case, we would have been gunning for it at auction,” he said.
This is not the first blow to the museum’s credibility.
The prized purchase, believed to be a Lincoln stovepipe hat, was valued at $6.5 million. Evidence of a connection to the 16th president The director was asked, Fired in 2019 He was accused of sending an unauthorized copy of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to a Texas exhibition run by conservative political commentator Glenn Beck.
Ian Hunt, the museum’s head of collections, submitted a request to the executive director. Pursuit of the 21-star flag on November 6thAccording to documents provided by The Associated Press under a public records request.
This flag is prestigious Zarikor Flag CollectionHunt won the auction on November 13, and the museum King Hostick Trust FundA fund that funds state historical research and artifact collections.
Museum policy requires that any purchases over $2,000 be proposed for prior review by the Collections Committee, comprised of department heads. The committee did not meet regularly due to staff vacancies, but convened to consider the flag It was filed on Dec. 7, three weeks after the purchase, and voted 7-2 in favor.
Then-Secretary Eldon Yeakel and Director of Research Brian Mitchell voted “no.” Mitchell declined to comment to The Associated Press. Staff comments are at the bottom of the document. Record your vote These include concerns about the authenticity and safekeeping of the flag.
Yeakel said the committee vote would have been closer if the acquisition hadn’t already been decided. The museum fired Yeakel on May 6 for poor performance and policy violations, but Yeakel took the blame for casting the “no” vote. Wills declined to comment.
Yeakel said he told investigators from the Inspector General’s Office that the purchase of the flags improperly circumvented the commission’s consent. They asked Yeakel whether there was any fraud or wrongdoing in the transaction or whether any King Hostick funds were misappropriated. Yeakel responded that he was not aware of any fraud or wrongdoing or any details regarding Hostick’s funds or how they were used.
Two current and former museum employees told The Associated Press that the investigation was triggered by a complaint to an inspector, but asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation.
Neil Olson, the inspector general’s general counsel, declined to comment on the investigation, and the inspector general’s office has not released any findings.
If misconduct is found, the Office of the Inspector General may recommend corrective action, including discipline or termination. The Inspector General may also conduct a criminal investigation or refer an investigation to appropriate law enforcement authorities.
Wills said the museum had not been informed of the inspector general’s complaint but that it was “clearly authorized” to use Hostick’s funds to buy the flag. He acknowledged that it was a “failure” by Hunt to proceed without the committee’s review, but noted that museum policy requires only the “recommendation” of the committee for large purchases.
After the late Ben Zarikol purchased the flag in 1995, he asked renowned flag scholar Howard Madaus to examine it. The flag was decided It was made entirely from cotton between 1818 and 1820.
Mr Bridgeman said he considered Mr Madaus, who died in 2007, a respected colleague and friend, but that Mr Madaus was wrong on this point.
Bridgman said he hasn’t examined the flag in person, but high-resolution images show that the blue canton is made of wool or a wool blend, typical of Civil War-era flags, which are worn threaded through a slot.
“Cotton doesn’t do that. Wool definitely does,” Bridgeman says.
a 2003 Report An investigation by renowned preservationist Fonda Thomsen found that the flag was at least partially made from sheep’s wool, but said “the flag has not been examined sufficiently to draw any conclusions.”
Museum officials have not yet inspected the flag, but it has been turned over to a conservation company for stabilization and cleaning to prolong its life, at an estimated cost of $18,000.
The Associated Press asked other flag scholars to examine photos of the flag and determine its age. Only one responded: Dave Martucci of Washington, Maine, said in an email that he is familiar with the flag and that its “design, construction and size” suggest it dates to 1818, not 1861.
Wills said despite its history, the flag has a “solid history” and is a solid investment.
“We’re always open to learning more about it,” Wills said, “and if it turns out it’s a different story from a different time, that’s fine. We’ll tell that story, and it just happens to be a great one.”
