Tuskegee University Alum and Kappa Alpha Psi Member Joshua Gordon Designs Montgomery’s First New City Flag in More Than 70 Years

Montgomery, Alabama, has raised a new city flag for the first time since 1952, with the winning design created by Montgomery native and Tuskegee University graduate Joshua Gordon.

The City of Montgomery officially unveiled and raised the new flag during a ceremony at City Hall on Thursday, October 1. Gordon’s design was selected through a public competition that received 27 submissions.

Gordon is an architect, U.S. Army engineer officer and graduate of Tuskegee University. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., having been initiated into the Gamma Epsilon Chapter during Spring 2019.

While developing the design, Gordon said he wanted to recognize Montgomery’s history without simply recreating its previous flag.

“My goal with the design was to take elements from our existing flag and repurpose them within a new design,” Gordon told Watch The Yard. “I didn’t want to simply erase what came before. Instead, I wanted to acknowledge the city’s history while giving those elements a new purpose and a new direction.”

The movement to replace the previous flag began with Jeremiah Treece, who started a petition while he was a senior at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School. Treece, now a sophomore at Berea College, researched the history of Montgomery’s former flag before bringing his concerns to the city council.

His efforts eventually led the proposal to the government affairs committee and helped launch the process that resulted in the city’s new design.

Following the flag-raising ceremony, Treece reflected on the significance of the moment and credited the broader community for helping turn the effort into reality.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said the new flag recognizes the city’s history while looking toward its future. He described the design as a representation of unity, progress and inclusion.

For Gordon, the project represents an opportunity to connect Montgomery’s past with its next chapter. His selection also highlights the impact of Tuskegee University graduates and members of historically Black Greek-letter organizations in shaping their communities through design, leadership and public service.