On Tuesday, Alderman Peter Burgelis announced a proposal to make the People’s Flag the new official flag of the city.
The current flag of Milwaukee was adopted in 1955, packed with an assortment of imagery, including a ship, the old County Stadium, a gear, a stalk of wheat and more.
“I believe the 1955 city flag is a great snapshot in time of Milwaukee’s history in the 1950s, but now carries little relevance,” said Alderman Peter Burgelis in his statement. “It doesn’t speak to our values and doesn’t convey our dynamic Cream City spirit”
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Since beating over 1,000 other flag designs in the People’s Flag competition in 2016, “Sunrise Over the Lake” has been used by Milwaukeeans as the symbol of the city. Across the city, the People’s Flag can be seen flapping in the wind, on hats and more. The 1955 flag is rarely met with the same admiration as that of the People’s Flag.
“The design has, in my view, intrinsic beauty and timeless meaning that represents the core of Milwaukee,” said Burgelis.
The colors and elements of “Sunrise Over the Lake” each represent different aspects of Milwaukee. The gold color represents Milwaukee’s brewing history. The white sun is rising over Lake Michigan, representing a new day. The color white itself represents peace and unity. The three stripes represent the founders of Milwaukee and its three original settlements, Kilbourn Town, Juneau Town and Walker’s Point. The color blue represents the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers. The navy color at the bottom represents Lake Michigan.
“This Flag reminds us of what has drawn human beings to the Good Land for thousands of years Lake Michigan’s beauty and bounty,” Burgelis said.
This new resolution allows for Milwaukeeans to provide input and testimonies on the proposed new flag this summer. The Common Council will vote on the proposal in September, and if successful, the new flag would be adopted January 31, 2025.
