A closer look at the 660,000 white flags adorning the National Mall in Washington, D.C., reveals the humanity underneath a statistic.
The flags commemorate the over half a million people who have died from COVID-19 in the United States, and visitors can personalize the flags for the loved ones they’ve lost.
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The memorial, titled In America: Remember, covers 22 acres and has 3.8 miles of footpaths lined with benches for people to sit and reflect and will be on display until Oct. 3. Ruppert Landscape donated 2,000 hours of volunteer work to set up the flags on Sept. 17. Artist Suzanne Firstenberg adds new flags each day to account for new deaths.
“There is no ‘return to normal’ when we lost our beloved Mary, spouse, our mother, nana, nana-nana, friend. Faith, hope, and love in our Lord,” one flag reads.
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“Fifty years wasn’t near enough of sharing this journey,” says another.
According to the artist, this is the largest interactive exhibit on the National Mall since the AIDS Quilt in 1987.
Those unable to attend in person can commemorate a loved one via the website, and volunteers will inscribe a flag on their behalf.
