Gilbert Baker (1951 - 2017)

On Flag Day, we recognize Gilbert Baker, the activist and artist who created the first Gay Pride flag. Baker’s work spanned nearly four decades and includes distinctions for creating two flags that attained world records for their length. After serving as a medic in the U.S. Army, Baker joined the Gay Liberation movement in San Francisco. As part of his work, he created the first eight-color Rainbow Flag in 1978 and then went on to readapt it in six colors for manufacturing and practical reasons. It is one of the world’s most recognizable symbols and has been re-envisioned with the times.​