San Francisco to mark life of late Pride flag creator Gilbert Baker
Gilbert Baker, who designed the most internationally known symbol for the gay culture, the rainbow coloured flag, 25 years ago, heads the Stockholm Pride Parade carrying a 250-metre long flag in Stockholm, 02 August 2003. The Stockholm Pride Parade is the highlight of the one week long yearly Stockholm Pride Festival. (Photo credit should read FREDRIK PERSSON/AFP/Getty Images)
An event is taking place this week in San Francisco to remember the late inventor of the Pride flag Gilbert Baker.
Baker died back in March, age 65.
A friend, Cleve Jones, also a civil rights activist, shared the news of Baker’s death on Twitter.
The celebration of Baker’s life will take place in the Castro on Thursday from 7pm until 10pm.
The event is free and organisers asks those wishing to attend to register on Eventbrite.
It is open to attendees of all ages.
Baker created banners and flags for marches, as well as protests, and created the rainbow banner which was carried by Harvey Milk in San Francisco in the 1970s.
This PBS documentary also features Baker talking about the flag design.
Born in Kansas, Baker moved to San Francisco in 1972 after serving in the US Army for two years.
“Flags are about power,” Baker told ABC7 news.
“Flags say something. You put a rainbow flag on your windshield and you’re saying something.”
Of the rainbow flag, which is flown at Pride events and protests around the world, Baker said each colour represents something different.
“Pink is for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sun,” He told ABC7.
“Green for nature, turquoise for magic, blue for serenity and purple for the spirit. I like to think of those elements as in every person, everyone shares that.”
After creating the iconic flag, Baker was commissioned by San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein to create the flag for her first elected inaugural.
He also designed flags for the Democratic National Convention in 1984.
Jones encouraged supporters to gather in San Francisco under the rainbow flag in the Castro at 7pm local time.
