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Today, I came across a terrific photo collection of American flags. The array displays a few of the ways the iconic tricolor has been used. There may be no more recognizable symbol in the world. But like all such symbols, it can be used to unite or to divide.

That is made very clear in the insightful photo array. Click here to see all the images.

The photos were selected by writer Conor Friedersdorf, an associate editor at The Atlantic who writes about politics and national affairs. He is the founding editor of The Best of Journalism, “a newsletter devoted to exceptional nonfiction.” Follow him on Twitter.

An opponent of the World Economic Forum wraps herself in the American flag outside the meeting of world business leaders in New York. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)