MONTGOMERY, AL — The City of Montgomery marked a new chapter in its history Thursday, October 1, with a public ceremony officially raising Montgomery’s new city flag for the first time.
The Montgomery City Council’s Governmental Affairs & Administration Standing Committee hosted the New City Flag Installation Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, October 1, 2026, in front of Montgomery City Hall, 103 North Perry Street. The ceremony was open to the public, with members of the media also invited to attend.
The event coincided with the official effective date of Montgomery’s newly adopted city flag, replacing the municipal flag that had represented the city since 1952. The Montgomery City Council approved the new design during its May 5, 2026 meeting following an extensive community-driven process.
A Community-Driven Design
The effort to create a new flag was led by the City Council’s Governmental Affairs & Administration Standing Committee, which launched a public design contest in 2025 seeking a flag that would represent Montgomery’s identity, history and future.
The contest was open to Montgomery residents age 13 and older and called for designs centered on unity, peace and the shared values of Montgomery’s diverse community.
Twenty-seven designs were submitted. Ten met the contest guidelines, and five were selected as semifinalists before the committee ultimately chose a design submitted by Joshua Gordon, with several modifications incorporated into the final version.
The Meaning Behind Montgomery’s New Flag
The new flag incorporates several elements representing Montgomery and its people:
- Red diagonal bands symbolize momentum, movement and Montgomery’s evolving story.
- A blue ceremonial ribbon represents renewal, unity and new beginnings.
- Nine old gold stars represent Montgomery’s nine City Council districts.
- A central outlined star represents Montgomery’s role as Alabama’s capital city and serves as a symbol of unity and leadership.
- Olive branches above and below the central star represent peace, resilience, growth and goodwill among Montgomery residents.
The October 1 ceremony formally marked the transition as the new design began replacing Montgomery’s previous official flag throughout City government.
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