Gilbert Baker (artist)

Gilbert Baker (June 2, 1951 – March 31, 2017) was an openly gay American artist and civil rights activist. He designed the rainbow flag in 1978. Baker's flag became widely known with LGBT rights causes, a symbol of pride that became extremely used and well referenced in the decades since its debut.
Baker died on March 31, 2017 in his sleep at his home in New York City at the age of 65. He suffered a stroke a few years before his death and was suffering from stroke-complications at the time of his death.