About Whitney Smith
Lived 1940 – 2016 (aged 76). Whitney Smith was an American university teacher, graphic designer and vexillologist.
Early life and education
Whitney Smith Jr. was born on February 26, 1940, to Mildred and Whitney Smith. and Winchester, Massachusetts. He received his doctorate in political science at Boston University in 1968 with a dissertation on political symbolism. , the world's first journal about flags. The following year, Smith established The Flag Research Center at his home and was its director. Smith was also responsible for founding the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) and the Flag Heritage Foundation. and left the office of FIAV Secretary-General. In 2006 he was the joint author of The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord & Conflict. In 2013 he transferred The Flag Research Center's library and archives to The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History in Austin, Texas.
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Important facts
People in Whitney Smith's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Whitney Smith's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Whitney Smith?
founder of vexillology (1940–2016)
When was Whitney Smith born?
Whitney Smith was born on 26 February 1940 in Arlington.
When did Whitney Smith die?
Whitney Smith died on 17 November 2016 in Peabody.
What was Whitney Smith's occupation?
Whitney Smith was a university teacher, graphic designer and vexillologist.
What nationality was Whitney Smith?
Whitney Smith was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Whitney Smith. https://biography.guide/whitney-smith/
MLA: "Whitney Smith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/whitney-smith/.
Chicago: "Whitney Smith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/whitney-smith/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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