Durham’s flag was designed by artist Al Nichols who won a city-wide contest in 1989. In 1991 the City of Durham did their own take on the flag to make the city logo boasting ‘City of Medicine, 1869,’ for their logo. In 2017, as Steve Schewel was getting reading to take office as Mayor, Durham released an updated logo dropping the City of Medicine tagline and the year of incorporation.
Interestingly the Bull City logo revision cost $20,000 and the Oak City neighbors dropped over $200,000 on their new logo in the same year. Proof it pays to know who you are.
Each detail of the Durham’s city flag is meant to capture what was coined the city’s “New Spirit,” in the late 80s and early 90s.
The colors represent:
- Royal Blue: Courage
- Red: Action & Progress
- Gold: High Quality in Growth
- White: High Ideals
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The seven stars are both representative of the seven star cluster of the Taurus constellation, aka The Pleiades, and the spirit of Durham. Each star is meant to represent one of the following:
- The Arts
- Commerce & Industry
- Education
- Medicine
- Human Relations
- Sports & Recreation
- Preservation of Durham’s Rich Heritage
This Bull City History Bit was brought to you by our Community Partner Brian Bonomo Photography’s sponsorship. Thank you for valuing the importance of sharing Durham’s history with the Durham community.
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