AUGUST 16, 2025 — The New York City Council voted unanimously 42 to 0 last Thursday to officially adopt the Staten Island borough flag, elevating the emblem into city administrative code, says The City Reporter.
According to the Gothamist, the bill was sponsored by Republican Councilmember Frank Morano, who represents the island’s South Shore. The legislation codifies an image that has flown informally for roughly a decade at civic functions, parades, and municipal sites such as City Hall and Borough Hall.
With this approval, Staten Island becomes only the third of New York’s five boroughs to have its banner formally recognized in city law, joining Brooklyn and The Bronx.
The newly recognized design was created around 2014 by designer Emil Micha, who served under former Borough President James Oddo. Oddo and other local critics felt an older flag from 1971, which featured two seagulls hovering over a mound, unfavourably resembled the borough’s former Fresh Kills landfill.
Micha based his updated artwork on an allegorical seal installed on the floor of Borough Hall, introducing a beige field centred around a circular seal in blue, green, white, and cream.
The symbol depicts a helmeted female figure embodying the city, holding a shield featuring two turtle doves to denote peace, with a downturned sword resting at her side. She gazes over a body of water carrying Henry Hudson’s vessel, the Half Moon, which entered the lower harbour in 1609, alongside a smaller boat representing indigenous oystermen.
The central image is encircled by the text “Staten Island” and “City of New York,” alongside the years 1609 and 1898, the latter marking the date Staten Island consolidated with Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx to form modern New York City.
Following the vote, Morano stated, “I think that there is something meaningful about symbols, whether you love being a part of New York City or whether you want to secede,” referencing periodic historical movements within the island to separate from the broader municipality.
Prior to the formal Council vote, Morano noted during the bill’s advocacy that “It’s a proud moment for Staten Islanders, who’ve too often felt overlooked. Now, our flag is right where it belongs: front and center in New York City.”
The legislation will now head to the desk of Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his signature to complete the municipal approval process.
Image: SILive
