Full Breakdown
Divided Flag: How Americans’ Views on the Stars and Stripes Split Along Race, Age and Politics
6/30/2026, 11:18:43 PM
Survey Highlights Deep Divide
An AP-NORC poll of 2,596 adults, conducted April 16-20, 2026, found the American flag is viewed as unifying by 47 % of respondents, divisive by 16 %, and neutral by 36 %.
Historical Context of the 250th Anniversary
The poll was released ahead of the United States’ 250th birthday celebrations, a milestone that has revived public debate over the flag’s symbolism and its role in national identity.
Key Statistics on Demographic Divides
Only 22 % of Black adults see the flag as unifying, versus 55 % of white adults and 42 % of Hispanic adults; roughly three-in-ten Black respondents fly the flag, compared with about half of white and Hispanic respondents.
Personal Perspectives Across Demographics
Detroit resident Jerry Esters flies three flags, linking them to his great-great-grandmother’s emancipation; 79-year-old Yvonne Pistochini refuses any flag, calling it a false patriotism; Michigan couple Linda and Greg Cunningham equate the flag with freedom.
Expert and Institutional Commentary
Historian Matthew Delmont notes the flag simultaneously signals inclusion and exclusion for Black Americans; political scientist Ben Gaskins says older, white conservatives view it as central to identity; retired CBP officer Nancy Hansen describes it as representing personal freedom.
Criticism and Opposition
Allison Wiltz calls the flag a painful symbol of unfulfilled promises for Black, Indigenous and people of colour; Pistochini argues flag-flying does not equal patriotism; Paul Walthour, a white Democrat, calls it antiquated and divisive.
Implications for National Cohesion
The split mirrors broader partisan and racial fault lines, suggesting the flag may increasingly serve as a cultural litmus test rather than a unifying emblem, complicating efforts toward shared civic identity.
Data Gaps and Uncertainties
The poll’s margin of error is ±2.6 percentage points; it does not disaggregate Black respondents by age or party affiliation, leaving unclear how intersecting identities shape flag attitudes.
Verbatim Quotes
"A lot of Black Americans see the flag as a symbol of both inclusion and exclusion. Black Americans, more so than white Americans, also understand the flag can be used to justify a version of patriotism that is rooted in exclusion, with the flag being used to say ‘you don’t belong here.’" — Matthew Delmont, Professor of American History, Dartmouth College
"When these homes were built, Black men like me, my mother and my family ... we couldn’t even buy these homes. To me, that’s one reason I fly the flag. We went through a lot to be able to own nice homes, and this is what we fought for." — Jerry Esters, Retired Clay Sculptor, Detroit
"Just because you fly a flag doesn’t make you a patriot. If there was patriotism, we would not have all this. We can’t look at (what’s going on) and say this is America." — Yvonne Pistochini, 79, Detroit
"It’s a painful symbol. It’s a reminder of what we could be and how it’s failed to live up to that for Black people, for Indigenous people and people of colour." — Allison Wiltz, Author, Writers and Editors of Colour
"This is antiquated, perhaps. I feel it’s a symbol that you’re proud to be an American. Unfortunately, I kind of think it’s a symbol of dividing more than uniting." — Paul Walthour, Retired Advertising Creative Director, Minneapolis-area
