Peace Sign Turns 50

uploaded by mrtiedye65 March 20, 2008 at 10:13 am
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Today is the fiftieth anniversary of the peace sign.
For ten points, who invented the peace sign?
Uh... hippies?
Bzzzt! Thankyouforplaying! The correct answer is Gerald Holtom, a graphic designer who figured that the British anti-nuke movement would gain more traction if it had a logo, and the peace sign was born. Specifically, it was born from the semafore signals for "N" and "D" (Nuclear Disarmament). And Holtom was 100% correct: his symbol has been relevant ever since.

It had its first public outing 50 years ago on a chilly Good Friday as thousands of British anti-nuclear campaigners set off from London's Trafalgar Square on a 50-mile march to the weapons factory at Aldermaston.

The demonstration had been organised by the Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear War (DAC) and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) joined in.

This is not connected with the V-sign, formed with one's index and middle finger. That one was popularised during the 1960s, brought into the public eye by Winston Churchill. He was quickly told, though, to keep the palm facing forwards, as, to many in Britain and the former colonies, the V with palm inward is an insulting gesture, but that's another article for another day. Let's just focus on the peace sign!