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Dr. Smith designed the proposal for the flag of Guyana which, after modification and addition of black and white, was adopted in 1966. It is also known as The Golden Arrowhead.

Dr. Smith also designed this flag as a proposed flag of Antarctica. Antarctica has no government or sovereign ruler and the flag has not been adopted in an official capacity by any organization.

Dr. Whitney Smith is a professional vexillologist, i.e., scholar of flags. The term vexillology, coined by him in 1958 in the article Flags of the Arab World, refers to the scholarly analysis of all aspects of flags. In 1961 Smith and colleague Gerhard Grahl cofounded The Flag Bulletin, the world's first journal about flags. The following year Smith established the Flag Research Center in Winchester, Massachusetts. He continues to serve as its director and as editor of its bimonthly journal The Flag Bulletin (ISSN 0015-3370).

Whitney Smith was born on February 26, 1940 in Arlington, Massachusetts. He received his AB from Harvard University and his MA and PhD from Boston University. He was instructor and assistant professor of political science at Boston University from 1964 to 1970.

Smith worked with Klaes Sierksma to organize the First International Congress of Vexillology (Muiderberg, Netherlands) in 1965. They joined Louis Mühlemann in founding the Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques (FIAV), which was formally inaugurated in 1969. Smith was also responsible for founding the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) in 1967.

Smith has written 27 books on the subject of flags, notably Flags Through the Ages and Across the World, The Flag Book of the United States, and Flag Lore of all Nations. Smith was the designer of the national flag of Guyana and has served as a vexillographer (flag designer) to a number of governments and organizations. In 1981 Smith was part of a committee who developed the flag of Bonaire.

NAVA's annual Whitney Award for outstanding contribution to North American vexillology is named in Smith's honor.

Smith, Whitney (1975). Flags:Through The Ages And Around The World. McGraw Hill, 238. DOI:JC345.S57. ISBN 0070590931. 

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