MARCH 8, 2025 — Cleveland’s skyline now features a new symbol.
The CLE Flag Project unveiled the “People’s Flag of Cleveland” on Friday, introducing an unofficial design meant to represent the city’s identity and aspirations, reports Cleveland Magazine.
The flag, designed by Shan Rodich, incorporates several elements reflecting Cleveland’s history and geography.
According to the project website, a prominent blue “C” represents the city and the Cuyahoga River, while a red stripe nods to Cleveland’s Rust Belt heritage. The six-pointed star references symbols from the city’s original flag, and the overall shape mirrors Ohio’s unique swallowtail flag. The blue field represents Lake Erie, an integral part of Cleveland’s geography.
The design emerged from a public voting process led by the CLE Flag Project, an initiative that gathered 570 submissions before narrowing the selection to four finalists, including Cleveland’s existing flag.
More than 11,000 votes were cast, with the winning design receiving a rating of 6.8 out of 10—significantly higher than the other options, which ranked in the fours.
Additionally, 73% of respondents indicated support for a new city flag.
While the flag has already been raised at over 200 locations across the region, including West 25th Street in Ohio City and the May Building downtown, it remains unofficial.
In order to formally replace the city’s current flag—designed by Susan Hepburn in 1896 and featuring the words “Cleveland” and “Progress & Prosperity”—the Cleveland City Council would need to approve the change.
Project co-organizer Brian Lachman expressed optimism about the flag’s future adoption. “If it is embraced by the community, it’s easier to go back to City Council in the future, with the community that is engaged and embracing it,” he said. “Then it’s easier to pass along.”
Unlike the current flag, which many residents are unaware of, the CLE Flag Project aims to create a widely recognized and embraced symbol. “This is really about the community,” Lachman said.
“Just doing something cool for the community that I grew up in, and hopefully having something that people can really appreciate, and have as their symbol of their pride for their city.”
Image: CLE Flag Project
