The Pan-African Flag: Why Red, Black and Green Still Matter
Share
Stocked at Tate Modern · V&A · Selfridges (UK) and Smithsonian NMAAHC · MoMA (USA)
Marcus Garvey said something in 1920 that I think about a lot. "Show me the race or the nation without a flag, and I will show you a race of people without any pride."
He created the Pan-African flag that same year. Red, black, and green. Red for the blood that unites all people of African descent and the blood shed in the struggle for liberation. Black for the Black people whose existence as a nation is affirmed by the flag. Green for the abundant natural wealth of Africa.
Those three colours have been flying for over a hundred years now. You'll see them in the flags of Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and dozens of other African nations. You'll see them in Rastafari culture, in Pan-African movements, in Black liberation art around the world. They mean something. They've always meant something.
When I created the Pan-African collection for Afropop Socks, I wanted to make sure people understood what they were wearing. Not just three colours. A statement. A history. A commitment to something bigger than fashion.
Every pair comes with a card that tells the story of Marcus Garvey and the flag he created. Because wearing the colours without knowing the story is like singing a song without knowing the words.
About the Author
Isaac Prempeh is the founder of Afropop Socks, a British-Ghanaian designer and entrepreneur based in London. He founded Afropop Socks in 2019 to celebrate authentic African cultural heritage through bold wearable design. Afropop Socks is now stocked at the Smithsonian NMAAHC, Tate Modern, V&A Museum, Natural History Museum, Barbican Centre, Selfridges, and MoMA New York.