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Robert Heft, a high school student from Ohio, designed the 50-star American flag in the 1950s and received an A grade after it was accepted by Congress. He also designed a 51-star flag in case Puerto Rico joins the Union. Heft passed away in 2009.
Most Americans know the story of Betsy Ross, who allegedly sewed the original American flag with 13 Stars and 13 Stripes at the behest of George Washington during the Revolutionary War. While the story of Betsy Ross is at least part legend in the family, there is another flag designer whose story is equally impressive – and completely true. In the 1950s, as Alaska and Hawaii were being considered for statehood, high school student Robert Heft of Lancaster, Ohio decided to create a 50-star flag for a history test. Despite having no sewing experience, Heft applied her creativity to the existing 48-star flag and created a design with alternating rows of six and five stars. Heft was undoubtedly disappointed to receive a B- on his project, and he eagerly accepted his teacher’s challenge: if he could get the project accepted by Congress, his grade would be raised to an A. After numerous letters and phone calls, Heft he received a call from President Dwight D. Eisenhower, informing him that his project had been accepted. And true to his word, Heft’s history teacher gave him that A, after all.
You’re a big old flag:
The official 50-star flag was first raised over Fort McHenry in Baltimore on July 4, 1960, with Heft in attendance.
Heft also designed a 51-star flag, just in case another state eventually joins the Union, perhaps Puerto Rico. In a 2017 referendum, 97% of Puerto Rico’s voters voted for statehood, although voter turnout was relatively low, at 23%.
Heft has attended countless conferences throughout the United States, telling the story of how he designed the flag. He was also mayor of Napoleon, Ohio for 28 years. He died in 2009 at the age of 68.
