(NASHVILLE) — This week, Republican lawmakers unanimously passed House Joint Resolution 88 carried by Representative Jay Reedy (R-Erin) to honor Tennessee’s blind citizens and American history.
House Joint Resolution 88 calls for a tactile braille American flag to be displayed in the new Cordell Hull legislative office building, which the General Assembly is set to move into later this year.
The braille American flag serves as a valuable teaching and learning aid for instructing blind students about its place in American history. It is composed of braille figures in the upper left corner that represent the stars of the 50 states. They are arranged in nine rows of alternating clusters. The long smooth horizontal lines represent the red stripes. Each red stripe is lined with the appropriate braille dots to indicate the stripe’s color. The long raised textured areas on the flag represent the white stripes. They are also lined with the appropriate braille dots to indicate the stripe’s color.
Randolph Cabral, founder of the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute, created the flag to honor his father, Jesus Sanchez Cabral. Jesus Sanchez Cabral was a decorated U.S. Army Air Corps veteran who bravely served the United States during World War II. Glaucoma robbed him of his sight 10 years before his death. It also hampered Cabral’s ability to post and fly the American flag on his front porch, a duty he cherished as a patriotic veteran.
“The tactile Braille American flag is a remarkable tribute to a man who proudly served this country and demonstrated his patriotism by honoring our colors every day of his life,” said Representative Reedy. “It will enable future generations of our blind citizens to understand the flag’s importance and place in our history.”
The American Braille flag is a powerful symbol for more than 30 million blind and low vision Americans. In 2008, the United States Congress authorized its placement at Arlington National Cemetery as a tribute to blind veterans. It is displayed by thousands of sighted and blind civilians, veterans, hospitals, memorial parks, elected officials, schools for the blind, and many other places.
Jay Reedy serves as a member of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee and Subcommittee, as well as the House Education Instruction & Programs Committee. He lives in Erin and represents House District 74, which includes all of Houston, Humphreys, and part of Montgomery Counties. He can be reached by email at Rep.Jay.Reedy@capitol.tn.gov or by calling (615) 741-7098.
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