Gilbert Baker Google doodle celebrates LGBT-rights activists & creator of the iconic rainbow flag

In honor of Gay Pride Month, Google has adorned its LGBT-related search results with rainbow flag imagery.

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Gilbert Baker Doodle

Today’s Google doodle celebrates Gilbert Baker on what would have been the LGBT-rights activist’s 66th birthday.

In 1978, Baker assembled a group of 30 people at San Francisco’s Gay Community Center to hand-dye and sew together more than 1,000 yards of cotton to create a rainbow flag that would be used for protests and marches. For nearly 40 years now, Baker’s creation has evolved into a symbol of pride and freedom for the global LGBTQA+ community.

Google says Baker wanted to create something beautiful.

“The rainbow is so perfect because it really fits our diversity in terms of race, gender, ages, all of those things. Plus, it’s a natural flag — it’s from the sky,” said Baker about his choice to go with a rainbow as a symbol of the LGBT community.

Today’s doodle was designed by LGBT doodler Nate Swinehart. Google reports Swinehart worked with team members who felt a personal connection to the project and wanted to “… capture that same community spirit Baker treasured.”

From the Google Doodle Blog:

Together, the team decided the tribute would consist of a stop-motion animation of actual fabric strips coming together to create the flag. They made a trip to local San Franciscan fabric shops and filmed the doodle in a tiny kitchen only a few blocks from the same spot where Baker and his friends constructed that first flag in 1978.

The doodle leads to a search for “Gilbert Baker” and includes the usual sharing icon to post the image on social feeds or send via email.

Here’s today’s animated Gilbert Baker doodle that’s featured on Google’s US home page and a handful of its international sites:

Gilbert Bakers 66th Birthday 6016396013076480.8 Law

Google also shared the following two early concepts for the animated image:
GilbertBaker1

GilbertBaker2

In addition to today’s doodle, Google is also celebrating Gay Pride Month by including rainbow flag imagery on LGBT-related search results.

Lgbt Search Results

As part of their writeup on Gilbert Baker and the doodle they created in his honor, Google spoke with Baker’s sister, Ardonna Cook.

She said her family is proud of her brother’s legacy of activism and artistry: “Gilbert led a bold and inspiring life by bringing The Rainbow Flag to life and it is that legacy which should guide us in respecting and celebrating diversity.”


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Amy Gesenhues
Contributor
Amy Gesenhues was a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for Search Engine Land, MarTech and MarTech Today. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.

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