07-03-2025
Cleveland has a new people's flag — see it here
[Watch previous FOX 8 News coverage in the player above.]
CLEVELAND (WJW) — The votes have been cast, and the people have decided.
This is the city of Cleveland's new people's flag:
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'This flag represents pride, unity, and our shared identity, bringing Clevelanders of all backgrounds together under a unifying symbol of our community. It honors our rich history, reflects our resilience, and looks ahead to a bright future,' reads the Cleveland Flag Project website.
The grassroots group started the effort to create a new symbol for the city in 2023. There were more than 570 submissions, three finalists and thousands of community votes. Click here to see the submitted flags that didn't make the cut.
The winning design, pictured above, is from graphic designer Shan Rodich. Here's what the symbols mean, according to the Cleveland Flag website:
The 'C' is for Cleveland as well as the Cuyahoga River.
The six-pointed star inside the C acknowledges the six images on the original Cleveland flag, which referred to the city's industry, manufacturing and status as a major port on the Great Lakes.
The blue field represents Lake Erie.
The red stripe between the C and the blue field represents the region's Rust Belt heritage.
The red swallowtail behind the C is a nod to the shape of the state flag and 'Cleveland's forward progress.
'I wanted a kind of a nautical theme to it with the blue section being Lake Erie, the 'C' representing the city and the river, the 'crooked river,'' Rodich told FOX 8 News in August, while voting was underway.
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The city's original flag was designed in 1895 by a teenage art student who won a contest in the Plain Dealer.
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