Cleveland to Unveil New “People’s Flag” After Official Adoption Stalls

JANUARY 23, 2025 — In Ohio, the CLE Flag Project is set to reveal a new unofficial “People’s Flag of Cleveland” by March, according to cleveland.com, following months of public engagement and a lack of legislative action from City Council to replace the city’s flag.

The new flag will be one of three finalist designs.

The initiative, led by Cleveland-area volunteers, aimed to create a modern flag better representing the city’s values and identity. According to Cleveland Scene, after receiving 570 design submissions and over 11,000 votes from residents, the winning design will debut alongside merchandise, with proceeds partially benefitting the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

The current Cleveland flag, created by art student Susan Hepburn, features red, white, and blue vertical stripes with a shield symbolizing the city’s industrial and maritime heritage.

Despite its historical significance, many residents felt the flag lacked relevance. “The feedback was either people didn’t know we had a flag or thought we could have a better one,” said CLE Flag co-organizer Brian Lachman.

According to Axios, public voting, which closed in November, showed that 73% of Clevelanders supported adopting a new flag. All 17 city wards selected the same design as their top choice.

Still, Cleveland City Council has refrained from taking legislative steps to replace the official flag, citing other priorities.

“It’s the City Council’s job to change or keep the current flag,” Lachman explained. “Council said that with their agenda right now, that it’s not a priority”

The three front-running designs, described as more symbolic and abstract than the original, incorporates references to Cleveland’s monikers, such as “The Sixth City” and “The Forest City,” and nods to landmarks like Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River.

City officials have expressed their support for the movement, even as the new design remains unofficial. “The People’s Flag stands as a testament to the unity, passion, and shared identity of our communities,” said Bradford Davy, Chief of Staff to Mayor Justin Bibb, in a statement.

Organizers remain hopeful the People’s Flag could one day gain official status, similar to Milwaukee’s ongoing efforts to adopt its own People’s Flag.

Image: CLE Flag Project