Southampton Arts Center is marking Independence Day with Independency: The American Flag at 250 Years, an exhibition featuring Apollo mission flags and a George Washington kerchief among its highlights.
New York City historian John Monsky, who has presented at Carnegie Hall and the White House, uses narration, film, photography, culture and historic documents to present his collection. The nationally recognized exhibition—featured in The New Yorker and Art & Antiques Magazine—has drawn attention in Southampton.
“We’re very excited,” said Executive Director Christina Strassfield, who worked with Monsky on curating the exhibit, which runs through July 19.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these works and really see history come alive on the walls of the Southampton Arts Center.” She said Monsky has been collecting artifacts since childhood.
To help launch the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday in 2026, Strassfield said the museum and galleries will be open on the Fourth of July from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The hours allow visitors attending the Village of Southampton’s Independence Day parade, which begins at 10 a.m., a chance “to come in and really enjoy seeing these amazing works… they will go back to his (Monsky's) homes and offices once the exhibition is over.”
Highlights, she said, include early textiles representing George Washington from 1776, a flag from Abraham Lincoln’s candidacy, and flags from conflicts such as the Vietnam War.
“We have flags from D-Day as well as flags that went to the moon and back, but we also have material all the way up through 9/11 and the Afghanistan war."
Located a short walk from Main Street at 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton Arts Center will be open throughout the holiday weekend—Saturday, July 5, and Sunday, July 6—from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Since the exhibit opened in May, Strassfield said it has attracted school groups who created their own flags at the museum. It has also drawn Korean and Vietnam War veterans, who shared their experiences after seeing the photographs, flags and lighters.
“It was very interesting and very moving for me,” she said.
Strassfield said the exhibit's scope and detailed descriptions encourage visitors to return.
“I think people come back two or three times because they really want to focus on the collection and get a full understanding,” she said. “Everyone has rallied around it in observance of next year, which is the 250th anniversary. We’re sort of jumping the gun and getting excited together about our flag.”
Monsky began collecting as a child and has gone on to produce The Eyes of the World: From D-Day to VE Day (2021), which was performed with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall in Boston.
Presented at the White House in December 2024 and at Carnegie Hall, The Eyes of the World is also available on PBS.org.
Other productions by Monsky at Carnegie Hall include The Vietnam War: At Home and Abroad (2018), We Chose to Go to the Moon (2019), and The Great War and The Great Gatsby (2023 and 2025).
Monsky is a graduate of Yale and Harvard Law School. He previously served as an attorney for the U.S. Senate Congressional Committee investigating the Iran-Contra affair and is currently a senior partner at Oak Hill Capital. He is married with four children and a dog named Flyer.
For more information on the exhibit, visit the Southampton Arts Center website.