1st Michigan Colored Infantry/102nd United States Colored Troops
SC-107-90: Silk national ▪ Dimensions: 72.5” x 75” ▪Silk Fringe: 2”
Description:
This gold painted, thirty-five-star national flag is made of a single layer of silk. The stars are arranged in five rows of seven stars. The canton is mostly intact, but there is a lot of loss of the fly end and among the white stripes on the flag. The fabric on the hoist end of the flag was fashioned into a sleeve for attachment to the staff. A 2” silk fringe is attached to the top, bottom and fly end of the flag. A leather label is attached to the flag on the top red stripe. The label reads “102ndRegt. U.S. Cold. Infantry.”
The staff, which measures 104.5” by 1.25”, is topped with a regulation spade finial. The staffs of flags returned to the state at the 1866 Detroit ceremony all bear identical brass plaques. The brass plaque reads in Spencerian script “1st Colored Infty.”
The flag has a 126” blue and white cord with two blue and white tassels measuring 6.5” in length. Additionally, a 47” length of black crepe was attached to the flag. This was probably added as a symbol of mourning after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
In 2011, the flag was sent to Fran Faile, a textile conservator working at The Henry Ford for conservation. The flag was realigned, humidified and flattened before being encapsulated between layers of fine nylon tulle.
Adoption:
April 30, 2011 - 102nd U.S. Colored Troops Black History Group
1st Michigan Colored Infantry/102nd United States Colored Troops
SC-108-90: Silk regimental ▪ Dimensions: 69.5” x 67+” ▪ Silk Fringe: 2”
Description:
This silk regimental flag is in a very fragmentary condition. The flag likely featured the national coat of arms on a blue background with the regimental designation below the coat of arms and thirty-five stars above the coat of arms. Most of the painted areas are missing as is the majority of the fly end of the flag. There is evidence of some battlefield repairs to the flag. Attached to the top and bottom of the flag is a 2” silk fringe. A leather label is attached to the top of the flag. The label reads “102ndRegt. U.S. Cold. Infantry.”
The staff measures 93.25” by 1.25” in diameter. A ferrule is attached to the top of the staff, but the finial is missing. The staffs of flags returned to the state at the 1866 Detroit ceremony all bear identical brass plaques. The brass plaque reads in Spencerian script “1st Colored Infty.”
Adoption:
1st Michigan Colored Infantry/102nd United States Colored Troops
SC-109-90: Silk regimental ▪ Dimensions: 73.5” x 76” ▪ Silk and Cotton Fringe: 3”
Description:
This is the regiment’s presentation flag which they received in a celebration January 5, 1864. It is a two-piece silk regimental flag was painted by the firm Liable, Hopkins, and Wright. The obverse featured an eagle over the flag of the United States with the word “All men are born free and equal, To realize which, we fight.” The reverse was painted with the state coat of arms with the words “Presented by the Colored Ladies’ Soldiers’ Aid Society of Detroit to the First Colored Regiment Michigan Infantry, 1863.” Most of the painted areas on the flag have been lost. This, unfortunately, is a common side-effect of the paint making the silk of the flag more rigid. All that remains of the painted area is the ribbon at the top with a few letters. On the obverse “All –are bor- Fre-” and on the reverse “—Soldi-s Aid Soc- — -roit”. The flag is made of blue silk and the fabric on the hoist end of the flag was fashioned into a sleeve for attachment to the staff. A 3” silk fringe is attached to the top, bottom, and fly ends of the flag.
The staff, which measures 90” by 1.25” in diameter is topped with a spear finial. The staffs of flags returned to the state at the 1866 Detroit ceremony all bear identical brass plaques. The brass plaque reads in Spencerian script “1stColored Infty.”
The flag has a 110” red, white, and blue cord with two red, white, and blue tassels measuring 10” in length. The tassels are formed on a wood core with a 2.25” diameter.
In 2020 the flag was sent to Textile Preservation Associates for conservation. The flag was vacuum cleaned, aligned, humidified, and flattened. During conservation, it was discovered that painted areas had become stuck together. These were carefully separated. The flag was then encapsulated between layers of Stabiltex, a sheer polyester fabric. The fringe was combed and the flag was placed between layers of Mylar.
Adoption:
May 24, 2021 - Maurice Imhoff