news-record.com

Passersby glance over the giant flag hiding the porch rail at 701 W. Florida St.

They sometimes stop to salute, but big flags are a dime a dozen in early July.

Take a closer look.

Willie Mae Johnson's flag is missing a couple of stars.

Johnson puts the 48-star-studded flag out on her porch every year in memory of the man who gave it to her: her father, who served as an Army sergeant in World War I.

The 50-star flag didn't make its debut until the late 1950s, after Hawaii and Alaska became states.

Although she's proud to show her patriotism, Johnson doesn't save the flag for July 4.

She drapes the fading, slightly stained stars and stripes outside her home before every holiday - Easter, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, all marked by an old, Old Glory.

"I put it out early this morning," Johnson said Thursday. She puts the flag out the morning before holidays to avoid damage by weather or rambunctious teenage neighbors.
"I don't leave it out."

Johnson isn't sure how long she's had the flag. She inherited it when her father died.

She usually keeps it folded inside, but the flag has resurfaced on every major holiday since Johnson moved to Greensboro five years ago.

Elizabeth Doggett, 12, lives next door to Johnson. Elizabeth, who plans to attend today's Fun Fourth parade and festivities, said she thinks the flag is an appropriate display.

"It's good for the Fourth of July," the rising seventh-grader at Jackson Middle School said. "People have flags, cookouts. Sometimes, they pop firecrackers."

But Johnson wants no part of that boisterous activity.

She plans to spend the Fourth at the Greensboro home of one of her four children.

Contact Emily Stephenson at 373-7080 or emily.stephenson@news-record.com