A 19th century flag disrupts leadership at an Illinois museum and prompts a state investigation

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is under the spotlight again after a manager failed to consult a collections committee before purchasing a 21-star flag, supposedly from 1818 when Illinois became the 21st state to join the Union. The $15,000 purchase has precipitated an investigation by Illinois’ Office of the Executive Inspector General about money used for the purchase. The purchase also has led to division in the Springfield museum’s leadership and may have prompted the firing of an employee who said the acquisition skirted procedures. The flag itself has fallen under scrutiny with a flag expert saying it is not from 1818 but decades later during the Civil War.