Tired of talking about flags? Tired of talking about the so-called “People’s Flag of Milwaukee”? Tired of talking about whether or not the “People’s Flag” should be the official flag of Milwaukee? You’re not alone.
On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Common Council appeared poised to officially adopt the “People’s Flag” design and have it replace a design from 1955. But despite an apparent 8-7 majority in favor of the flag—and despite several alders saying they were “done” with flag discussion—the matter was put on hold (AGAIN!) via a last-minute move to send it “back to council.”
The move to hold was put forth by Alderman Bob Bauman, a vocal critic of the “People’s Flag.” It hinged on the technicality that the resolution to adopt the “People’s Flag”—put forth by Alderman Peter Burgelis—involved a fiscal impact. (That fiscal impact, according to Burgelis, would come to approximately $917 to replace 20 physical flags in various city buildings.) The move to hold received seven votes in favor and eight against, but because of the technicality, it only needed three votes to pass.
Thanks to this vote and various other 8-7 procedural votes during Tuesday’s meeting, the Council’s stance on the “People’s Flag” became clear. Those in favor of adopting the flag are alders Burgelis, Jonathan Brostoff, Lamont Westmoreland, JoCasta Zamarripa, Sharlen P. Moore, Scott Spiker, Marina Dimitrijevic, and Council President José G. Pérez. Those in opposition are alders Bauman, Andrea M. Pratt, Mark Chambers Jr., Milele A. Coggs, DiAndre Jackson, Larresa Taylor, and Russell W. Stamper II.
“This is not ready for prime time,” Bauman said on Tuesday, eight years after the “People’s Flag” was first unveiled and six years after it was first proposed as the official city flag. “If we’re going to adopt a flag by one vote, that’s out of order. Come on. There needs to be consensus here! That’s not the ‘People’s Flag’ if it passes by one vote!”
Here’s the “old”—and, yes, still-official—flag:
Similar to past discussions, the biggest sticking point for the divided Council was the original process that produced the “People’s Flag.” The design, “Sunrise Over the Lake,” was created by Milwaukee freelance designer Robert Lenz and was the winner of a 2016 contest to design a new city flag:
But questions of inclusion and diversity have long been raised about the 2016 contest. On Tuesday, Bauman said the process was “initiated by private individuals who took it upon themselves to decide that the city needed a new flag,” and that it “was not diverse, equitable, or inclusive.”
“DEI!” Bauman said. “It’s the paradigm that’s supposed to inform all our actions—all our actions except, apparently, the adoption of a flag, a symbol of a city that may be that symbol for decades ahead.”
Bauman’s 11th-hour (and widely mocked) alternative flag design, it should be noted, was struck down early in the meeting, 12-3:
Bauman wasn’t alone in his criticisms, however. Chambers and Coggs were equally vocal on Tuesday.
“This flag is coined the ‘People’s Flag,’ but honestly, which people?” Chambers said. Later, he added: “This flag [the ‘People’s Flag’] does not represent the majority-minority that we are in this city, plain and simple.”
“Was the Office of Equity and Inclusion consulted at any point with this legislation?” asked Coggs near the end of the meeting.
“I don’t believe so,” replied Burgelis.
“Holding this in council doesn’t serve a whole lot of purpose,” Bauman admitted at meeting’s end, “but that’s the only option we have to preserve our right to have an inclusive, equitable, and diverse process.”
The issue of updating and replacing Milwaukee’s city flag dates back nearly a decade. In 2015, inspired by a TED Talk in which podcast host Roman Mars called the official Milwaukee flag one of the worst in the country, Milwaukee graphic designer Steve Kodis and others spearheaded a grassroots contest to come up with a new flag. In June 2016, following a 1,000-entry design contest, Lenz’s “Sunrise Over The Lake” was chosen by online voters.
The symbol was soon embraced by much of Milwaukee, appearing on everything from shirts and stickers to bikes and beer. In July 2018, “People’s Flag” organizers made a presentation to the Common Council seeking official adoption of the flag. The presentation began well but was effectively shut down when various alders raised concerns about the non-inclusive nature of the contest. Further discussion—and the question of whether Milwaukee actually needed a new flag—was punted to the Milwaukee Arts Board.
In the fall and winter of 2018, following another presentation from “People’s Flag” organizers, the Milwaukee Arts Board determined that a new flag was indeed needed, and that the “People’s Flag” contest was indeed non-inclusive. The Board recommended that a request for proposal (RFP) be set up to come up with a new, official Milwaukee flag. On April 25, 2019, the Steering and Rules Committee approved a resolution to create a new process to come up with an official city flag. That effort stalled, however, thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Burgelis revived the dormant flag issue in 2024. In September, following a series of summer “Flag Roadshow” events, the Steering and Rules Committee voted 5-3 to adopt the “People’s Flag.”
This story is being updated. Or maybe not. Yeah, probably not. God, we’re sick of this.
Want more Milwaukee Record? Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and/or support us on Patreon.
RELATED ARTICLES
• Ald. Bauman offers new city flag option for Council’s consideration
• Committee votes in favor of adopting “People’s Flag of Milwaukee” as official City flag
• Steering and Rules Committee to consider adoption of new City flag Monday
• Let’s argue about the flag (again) at these “Flag Roadshow” events
• New City flag is long overdue, and the process to get a new one starts today